Early Cessation of Breastfeeding: A Neglected Nutritional Challenge among Infants

Osuorah DI Chidiebere^{1, 2,} , Ekwochi Uchenna³, Ndu K Ikenna³, Amadi F Ogechukwu³, Okeke B Ifeyinwa³, Obuoha Ejike³ and Isaac Nwabueze Asinobi³

¹Child Survival Unit, Medical Research Council UK, The Gambia Unit

²Department of Paediatrics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra

³Department of Paediatrics, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State

Cite this paper:
Osuorah DI Chidiebere, Ekwochi Uchenna, Ndu K Ikenna, Amadi F Ogechukwu, Okeke B Ifeyinwa, Obuoha Ejike and Isaac Nwabueze Asinobi. Early Cessation of Breastfeeding: A Neglected Nutritional Challenge among Infants. International Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015; 3(1):12-16. doi: 10.12691/ijcn-3-1-3

Abstract

Background: Breastfeeding (nursing) strike and early-weaning occur when infants often older than 3 months refuse to nurse for no apparent reason. This condition can be distressing to both the infant and mother. It is most times difficult for mothers to detect the cause of this phenomenon. This often puzzling state of infants feeding strike could lead to poor infant feeding practices thereby predisposing the infant to malnutrition and infections. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study enrolled 421 mothers who had nursed at least one child for 12 months or more. Appropriate statistical tools were used to determine prevalence of breastfeeding strike and maternal socio-demographics that are associated with refusal of breastfeeding in infants before 6 months of age. Results: Prevalence of breastfeeding strike in our study was 2.8%. Though statistical significance was not attained probably due to small sample size (n= 88), older mothers, those with more children, higher occupational grades and higher educational attainment were more likely to experience infant refusal of breastfeeding before 6 months of age. Conclusion: Despite the low prevalence reported in our study, breastfeeding strike is of great public health and family importance. There is need for more study to determine factors responsible for nursing strike in various cultural contexts in order to better educate mothers on how to prevent this present but covert phenomenon. Keywords: Breastfeeding (nursing) strike, infants, Enugu.

Keywords:
breastfeeding (nursing) strike infants Enugu

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