Background on Infant Feeding Practices in Nigerian Culture

The acceptance of exclusive breastfeeding practice (EBF) by nursing mothers in Nigeria has continued to be a subject of concern over the years among the promoters of EBF. Generally, breastfeeding is viewed as a universal practice among mammals. Breastfeeding a child is among the sex roles of females and can be traced back to the beginning of civilization. In this light, breastfeeding is viewed as a fundamental part of the reproductive progression but has been reported to have a cultural bias in Nigeria. Ibe et al. (2016) argue that breastfeeding in people is a biological progression and culturally resolute behavior. The ethnic practice of breastfeeding an infant varies among different cultures. It is further associated with different types of supplemental and corresponding feeds, the frequency that a woman is supposed to breastfeed, the time of breastfeeding initiation, and the duration of the breastfeeding period. In this case, culture can be termed as the beliefs and forms that guide individuals’ decisions, attitudes, and actions in a certain way. A wide array of factors is highlighted in regards to breastfeeding practice in Nigeria.

According to Balogun et al. (2015), there has been a decrease in weaning and exclusive breastfeeding in Nigeria despite efforts that have been made to improve it. Additionally, globalization has played a significant role in the possible drifts in traditional weaning practices among Nigerian mothers. Such aspects are responsible for increased malnutrition in the region, often the leading cause of infant mortality. Approximately 178 million children around the globe are malnourished, with Africa being at the forefront. In Nigeria, half of the number of children under five were underdeveloped, with less than one-third increase from 6 months to 2 years (Balogun et al., 2015). Such age gap is when weaning has reached its peak. This paper evaluates and assesses the socio-cultural factors affecting Nigerian mothers’ breastfeeding practice.

Joseph and Earland (2019) argue that lack of breastfeeding is accountable for approximately 96% of deaths among infants who are less than 12 months. However, the exclusive breastfeeding rate among Nigerian mothers is approximately 23%. In 2015, WHO highlighted that social and cultural influences were amongst the top causes of low exclusively breastfeeding practices in West Africa, including Nigeria. Some of the reported sociocultural practices and traditional beliefs have acted as barriers (Joseph and Earland, 2019). It has also been renowned that some females in Nigeria avoid weaning to avert the sagging of their breasts and to remain good-looking to their male counterparts. Besides, the level of education of women in the region has significantly affected the decisions to breastfeed, with those with lower education levels avoiding breastfeeding their infants. This study will explore the sociocultural factors that affect exclusive breastfeeding, especially in rural areas.

1. Are Nigerian mothers well informed on weaning practice
2. What are the various practices among Nigerian mothers in regards to weaning practices
3. What are the impacts of socio-cultural factors on Nigerian mothers who are breastfeeding

Factors Contributing to Decrease in Breastfeeding and Malnutrition in Nigeria

Research Design and Planning

The social constructionism-interpretivism epistemological approach is expected to underpin the design of the qualitative study. The study will be able to explore various social-cultural practices and beliefs of rural mothers that had an impact on the practice of breastfeeding. The cognizant alternative of approach will be the attitudes and actions of individuals and if they can be disconnected from their common beliefs and assumptions. In-depth individual interviews will be conducted, which is expected to enhance a more profound comprehension of the opinions and rehearses of the participants through their shared experiences on breastfeeding. Purposive sampling will be used to recruit information samples (Balogun et  al., 2015). The inclusion criteria will strictly focus on mothers between the ages of 18and 45 and who are breastfeeding at the onset of the study or they have at least one children they have breastfed in the past three years. Females who are either sick or expectant will be exempted from the research. The partakers will also be enrolled from bucolic public health centers. The investigator will then discuss the study and endorsement of the study with Primary Healthcare Directors that are mainly accountable for the main health centers in the study sites. The main healthcare facility will offer daily parental and child-health outpatient intercessions in rural societies. During recruitment, a translator will translate to mothers who aren’t aware o what will be happening during the routine clinical visits. They will as be responsible for introducing the participant information sheet. The sheets will be printed in Hausa since most of the mothers in the area are uneducated. Additionally, the aim of the study, exclusion and inclusion criteria and voluntary participation will also be discussed in Hausa.

The study will be conducted in Bindana and Baure in local government regions located in Katsina in northwest Nigeria. Approximately three million individuals reside in the area consisting of Hausa and the Fulani Muslims. Hausas are agrarians, whereas the Fulani Muslims are nomads. According to the reports made by the National Bureau of Statistics, approximately 78% of women in Katsina were illiterate and had no recognized education. In contrast, about 84% of them are unable to read and write (Oduwele, 2016). The data will be mainly collected through a semi-structured interview director. The significant research questions will cover the participants’ involvement within the first hour of giving birth, the beginning of infant feeding, the feeding that applies from birth to six months, and the comprehension of the mother about exclusive breastfeeding. The question will also cover what influences and determines the choice of the mothers to breastfeed exclusively. Probes will allow the participants to offer a detailed account of their experience during weaning. Two pilot interviews will also be conducted with the participants who meet the inclusion criteria (Oduwele, 2016). A qualified qualitative researcher will further review the quality of the pilot interview. Minor adjustments are expected to be made to the interview guide, and therefore, the pilot interviews will also be encompassed in the examination. The interviews will be conducted in Hausa and English, and the translator will translate each communiqué between the participants and the researcher. Audio recorders will be used during the interview.

Research Focus and Questions

The research study will take approximately six months. The short period can be attributed to the data collection methods, which will fasten the process. It is also attributed to the limited available resources to conduct the research. Therefore, the researcher needs to begin collecting the materials and resources they require before the onset of the whole process.

The interviews will mainly be transcribed in Hausa and Fulani Muslims after. The data collected will then be analyzed manually using the thematic content analysis. During the process, the researcher will be expected to code each transcript. They will do this by reading through it severally and attaching the phrases and words to create a code that describes each statement or new concepts and issues that may arise from the participants. After following the initial coding, each transcription will be associated against other transcripts while the researcher notes down the differences and similarities (Adebayo and Oluwaseyo, 2020). The final codes will then be molded by amalgamation or separating the initial codes and renaming them if the researcher finds it necessary. Additionally, various subthemes will be developed by categorizing the interrelated codes. The related subthemes will then be pooled together to create significant themes that will be used to highlight multiple sociocultural factors that affect breastfeeding mothers in the region. The analysis is expected to be a continuous process until the researcher can determine what the final themes, codes, and subthemes are and if they are fully captured in regards to the accounts of the participants (Adebayo and Oluwaseyo, 2020). Therefore, the themes and subthemes will not be pre-determined. Instead, they will be derived inductively during the data analysis process. Some of the main themes that may be included during the data analysis include the initiation process of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, and the decisions to be made on infant breastfeeding. Some of the subthemes that may be included in the analysis are the personal experience of breastfeeding mothers, the influences and determinants of when they should begin breastfeeding, and social and cultural influences on the participants’ choices.

Various problems may be incurred during the study research. The first problem is real bias. Some participants may be unable to recall some of their breastfeeding experiences which may restrict the amount of information to be shared. The bias can be attributed to mothers who would have breastfed in the past three years will be included in the research. Secondly, some participants may find it challenging to discuss their issues, especially if the researcher will be male (Adebayo and Oluwaseyo, 2020). Another problem experienced is that the translator may demand substantial funds to do their job effectively. Lastly, since the majority of breastfeeding mothers are illiterate, they may be unable to provide accurate and honest answers, which will eventually result in unreliable data and results.

The study may create severe pressure among women to breastfeed. Such pressures tend to be questionable ethically since the majority of females often experience emotional and physical problems during weaning. Additionally, there might be interrelated issues to corresponding the collective wellbeing versus individual wellbeing, which not sufficient attention will be paid to during the research process. Additionally, the emotions and needs of free choice among breastfeeding women should be considered, and equity issues in the contemporary world are overlooked. There might also be criticism about how the issue will be presented since the data provided is designed not to support mothers and their families in having alternatives on what is best for their infants. Besides, the research completely disregards mothers who are HIV positive and may be forced to be exempted from breastfeeding. The infant feeding option for mothers who are HIV positive more likely depends on their circumstances like health status and local conditions.

References

Adebayo Akadri and Oluwaseyi Odelola, 2020. Breastfeeding Practices among Mothers in Southwest Nigeria. Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences, 30(5).

Balogun, O., Kobayashi, S., Anigo, K., Ota, E., Asakura, K. and Sasaki, S., 2015. Factors Influencing Exclusive Breastfeeding in Early Infancy: A Prospective Study in North Central Nigeria. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 20(2), pp.363-375.

Ibe, S., Obasi, O., Nwoke, E., Nworu, B., Amadi, C. and Nwufo, C., 2016. Socio-economic Factors Influencing Adoption of Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice by Nursing- Mothers in Selected Communities in Imo State, Nigeria. British Journal of Medicine and Medical Research, 17(3), pp.1-12.

Joseph, F. and Earland, J., 2019. A qualitative exploration of the sociocultural determinants of exclusive breastfeeding practices among rural mothers, North West Nigeria. International Breastfeeding Journal, 14(1).

Oduwole, T., 2016. Developmental Nexus between Socio-Economic and Cultural Correlates of Exclusive Breastfeeding among Nursing Mothers in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 3(6).