Factors associated with prelacteal feeding practices in a rural northern Nigerian setting

Abstract

Introduction:Prelacteal feeding practice contravenes the recommendation of World Health Organisation that breastfeeding be initiated within an hour of childbirth. Consequently, the health, social, emotional and economic benefits of optimal breastfeeding are limited. Therefore, to break this vicious cycle of prelacteal feeding and suboptimal breastfeeding, factors associated with the practice must be identified. Objective: To assess prelacteal feeding practices and its associated factors in a rural community with the view to generate data for community-level interventions that will promote optimal breastfeeding. Methods: Data was collected during a community-based surveillance for maternal, newborn and child health project in Tsibiri, a rural community in north-western Nigeria. The survey questionnaire was uploaded into mobile devices running on an android operating system. Trained female interviewers collected the data over a period of one week in 2011. Results: A total of 270 out of 309 interviewed women had experienced childbirth and were included in the analysis. Majority (85.2%) of respondents utilised prelacteal feeds for their newborns. Plain water was the most common prelacteal feed (44.7%). Prelacteal feeding was associated with births assisted by unskilled birth attendants (AOR 5.322, 95%CI 1.634-17.333); while operative delivery reduced the likelihood of the practice (AOR 0.168,. No statistically significant association was found between use of prelacteal feed and women's age, education or access to income. Conclusion: The predominance of prelacteal feeding practices underscores the need for innovative strategies that create awareness among mothers and health care providers, with emphasis on health facility deliveries, advantages of breastfeeding and risks of prelacteal feeding.

Magnitude and associated factors of prelacteal feeding practices among mothers of under one-year-old children in Rural Pastoralist Communities of Afar, North Eastern Ethiopia: A community based cross-sectional study.

“…This might stem from differences in cultural beliefs and practices, study setting, health and nutrition policy, and strategies. But, it is lower as compared to the magnitude reported from studies conducted in rural Nigeria 85.2% [28]. In this study, the most frequently used type of prelacteal feed was non-human milk 44.8% and butter 23.1% which is similar to the findings of other studies [11,12,29,30].…”

Prelacteal Feeding Practices of Mothers Attending Infant Welfare Clinic in a Tertiary Hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

“…The commonest reason for prelacteal feeding was insufficient milk production or delayed lactation and water was the main prelacteal feed. This has been reported by other Nigerian authors [19,26]. In many developing countries, portable water is often in short supply, thus water as a prelacteal feed may in addition to inhibiting breastfeeding, also be harmful to the newborn.…”

Prevalence and determinants of pre-lacteal feeding in South Sudan: a community-based survey

“…This agrees with previous studies in Egypt and Kenya [30,31] where similar pre-lacteal feeds were used. Another study in northwest Nigeria reported cows’ milk as the most preferred pre-lacteal feed [29]. Participants in the current study were largely peasant farmers with less access to cows’ milk and were more likely to give sugar solution, because sugar was readily available.…”

“…The lack of organized programs that specifically focus on promotion of breastfeeding might explain the high prevalence of PLF in our study. A much higher prevalence of PLF was reported in North West Nigeria (85%) [29]. The differences in PLF rates might be partly attributed to variations in study participants and cultural beliefs associated with the practice.…”