Breastfeeding and Weaning Practices among Nigerian Women

Background: Infant feeding is an important determinant of child well­being. The practice of exclusive breastfeeding over the years is declining despite efforts at all levels to improve it; and with globalization there is concern of possible drift in the traditional weaning practices among Nigerian women. This study, therefore, seeks to determine the breastfeeding and weaning patterns among mothers attending two health facilities in the northern and southern parts of Nigerian.Materials and Methods: This was prospective cross­sectional study involving mothers seen in Paediatrics Outpatient and Child Immunization Clinics. This study involved two hospitals in northern and southern Nigeria respectively. Results: Two hundred breastfeeding mothers were recruited into this study. 75% of the mothers were in 25­40 years group and the majority of them (40.0%) commenced breastfeeding after 60 min of delivery. 83% of the mothers were aware of exclusive breastfeeding, but only 40.5% practiced it; their main reasons were that: Breastfeeding was not enough for the growth and development of the child (26.1%) and that breast­milk did not contain enough water; however most mothers' breasts fed for >12 months. About 44.5% of the mothers introduced complementary feeds between 4 and 6 months, and most complimentary meals (53.5%)were maize­based. 61½% of the mothers abruptly stopped breastfeeding, and the practice of separating the child from the home during weaning was reported in only 16% of the mothers.Conclusion: Exclusive breastfeeding is still unacceptably low among Nigerian women despite anincreased level of awareness

Knowledge; Attitude; and Perception of Teething Myths among Medical Doctors in Nigerian Hospitals

Background: Teething commences in children from the age of 6 to 8 months; however; it has been wrongly associated with systemic symptoms such as fever; diarrhea; vomiting by parents and health workers; this study hopes to determine the perception of doctors toward teething in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was cross-sectional descriptive study. Convince sampling technique was used to select 139 doctors who consented to participate in the study. Results: There were 116 males and 23 females with male to female ratio of 5:1. Fifty-nine (42.4%) of the subjects believed teething was associated with at least one symptom while 80 (57.6%) of them disagreed. Twenty-two (15.8%) of them got information on teething from their parents; 3 (2.2%) from their grand-parents; 61 (43.9%) was from school; 5 (3.6%) was from friends while 18 (12.9%); and 30 (21.6%) were from patients and their personal experiences; respectively. Seventy-nine (56.8%) did not believe in seeking for medical care for teething; while 60 (43.2%) believe in seeking for medical care for teething complaints. Ninety-six (69.1%) of the subjects will not prescribe any medication for teething; 18 (12.9%) prescribed paracetamol for teething; 10 (7.2%) prescribed antibiotics for teething; 8 (5.8%) prescribe teething powder; 3 (2.2%) prescribed teething ring; and 2 (1.4%) prescribe clean cloth usage and teething syrup; respectively. Thirty-eight (27.4%) believed teething remedies works; 99 (71.2%) of the subjects did not believed it works while 2 (1.4%) were not sure of its efficacy. Conclusion: Doctors still believe that teething is associated with systemic illnesses; therefore continuous medical education is of importance in ensuring the eradication of these myths