JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND DISEASES
Integrity Research Journals
ISSN: 2705-2214
Model: Open Access/Peer Reviewed
DOI: 10.31248/JPHD
Start Year: 2018
Email: jphd@integrityresjournals.org
Core barriers to optimal breastfeeding practices among recently-delivered mothers in Ibadan, Nigeria: A mixed study
https://doi.org/10.31248/JPHD2025.156 | Article Number: 6E7959C21 | Vol.7 (3) - June 2025
Received Date: 11 April 2025 | Accepted Date: 16 May 2025 | Published Date: 30 June 2025
Authors: Florence F. Akingbesote , Olufunmilayo D. Adeyanju , Chizoma M. Ndikom , Margaret O. Akinwaare and Jonathan G. Joseph*
Keywords: Nigeria., Ibadan, Core barriers, EBF, nursing mothers.
Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is globally the most effective intervention for child survival and the topmost life-saving intervention for newborns. Yet, in Nigeria, only 29% of children are exclusively breastfed. WHO and UNICEF recommended initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth, EBF for the first six months of life and continued breastfeeding till up to two years of age or beyond with appropriate weaning practices. Mixed methodology, utilising concurrent (methodological) triangulation, was used with a descriptive cross-sectional design for the quantitative and FGD for the qualitative. Multi-stage sampling was adopted in selecting 305 respondents for the quantitative and 9 nursing mothers for the qualitative aspect. A semi-structured questionnaire and an FGD guide were used to collect data. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics, while content analysis was used to analyse data from the FGD. The mean age of respondents was 28.9 ± 5.0 years, as the majority (65.6%) were in their early adulthood (21-30 years old). They had an average number of children of 2.1 (±1.1), where close to half (49.2%) reported the age of their last child being above 6 months. Three major themes and nine subthemes emerged from the FGD. Social barriers and personal barriers stood out as the core barriers to optimal EBF among nursing mothers. Quantitative report confirmed these core barriers in that beliefs/values and stress-related factors were mainly the determinants of optimal breastfeeding intention and practice. Social and personal barriers were core barriers to optimal EBF. Tailored interventions must be identified, designed and initiated to improve the influence of these factors for the optimal adoption of EBF, just as conflicting advice from health workers (supposed promoters of EBF) on adoption of EBF must be checked and improved upon.
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