INFANT WEANING KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES AMONG MOTHERS IN IKENNE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE

ABSTRACT

Appropriate infant feeding practices remain a major determinant of child survival, growth, and cognitive development, particularly during the first two years of life. Despite global recommendations on exclusive breastfeeding and timely complementary feeding, inappropriate weaning practices continue to contribute significantly to childhood malnutrition, infections, and preventable mortality in developing countries. This study examined the knowledge and practices of infant weaning among mothers in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design to assess mothers’ understanding and practical application of recommended weaning practices among attendees of selected Primary Healthcare Centres. A sample size of 100 mothers was selected through a random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed to evaluate respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics, level of knowledge, and infant weaning practices. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at a 0.05 level of significance. Findings from the study revealed that a considerable proportion of mothers possessed moderate knowledge regarding infant weaning; however, practical adherence to recommended weaning guidelines remained relatively low. The study further established significant relationships between occupation and infant weaning practices, educational status and weaning practices, as well as mothers’ knowledge level and infant feeding practices. Conversely, no statistically significant relationship was found between ethnicity and infant weaning practices. The findings suggest that although awareness of infant weaning exists among mothers, gaps remain in translating knowledge into proper practice. The study concluded that inadequate weaning practices may predispose infants to nutritional deficiencies, growth retardation, and increased vulnerability to infections. It was therefore recommended that healthcare professionals, particularly nurses and community health workers, intensify maternal education programmes on appropriate complementary feeding and safe weaning methods during antenatal and postnatal clinic visits. Continuous nutrition education and community-based interventions are essential to improving infant feeding outcomes and reducing child morbidity and mortality in the study area.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Infant nutrition during the early stages of life plays a critical role in ensuring optimal physical growth, neurological development, immune function, and long-term health outcomes. The transition from exclusive breastfeeding to complementary feeding, commonly referred to as weaning, represents one of the most sensitive phases in child development. Weaning involves the gradual introduction of semi-solid and solid foods to an infant alongside continued breastfeeding after the first six months of life. This stage requires adequate maternal knowledge and appropriate feeding practices to ensure that the nutritional demands of the growing infant are adequately met.

Globally, improper infant feeding practices remain a major public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where childhood malnutrition and preventable diseases continue to affect child survival rates. According to the World Health Organization, exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of life, followed by the introduction of nutritionally adequate complementary foods while breastfeeding continues up to two years of age or beyond. Appropriate complementary feeding has been recognized as an essential strategy for reducing childhood malnutrition, stunted growth, and infant mortality (WHO, 2021).

The first two years of life are widely regarded as a critical window for child growth and development. Nutritional deficiencies occurring during this period may result in irreversible consequences such as impaired cognitive ability, weakened immunity, poor academic performance, and reduced economic productivity later in life. Studies have shown that inappropriate weaning practices, including early introduction of complementary foods, delayed weaning, poor dietary diversity, and unhygienic food preparation methods, significantly contribute to undernutrition among infants and young children (UNICEF, 2020).

Breastfeeding provides infants with essential nutrients, antibodies, and protective factors that reduce susceptibility to infectious diseases such as diarrhoea, pneumonia, and respiratory tract infections. Beyond its nutritional benefits, breastfeeding also strengthens emotional bonding between mother and child while contributing to maternal health benefits, including reduced risk of postpartum complications and certain cancers. However, despite increased awareness campaigns, many mothers still introduce water, herbal mixtures, infant formula, or adult foods before the recommended age of six months, thereby exposing infants to nutritional imbalance and infections.

Complementary feeding practices are influenced by several socio-economic, cultural, educational, and environmental factors. Maternal educational status, occupation, family income, cultural beliefs, access to healthcare services, and exposure to health information all contribute to the quality of infant feeding practices adopted by mothers. In many rural and semi-urban communities in Nigeria, traditional beliefs and misinformation regarding infant feeding continue to affect mothers’ adherence to recommended weaning guidelines. Inadequate maternal knowledge on the nutritional needs of infants also contributes to poor feeding choices and unhealthy weaning behaviours.

In Nigeria, child malnutrition remains a major health challenge despite various governmental and non-governmental interventions aimed at improving maternal and child health. Reports from national demographic and health surveys have continued to indicate high rates of stunting, wasting, and underweight among children under five years of age. Poor infant feeding practices, especially during the transition from breastfeeding to family foods, have been identified as important contributing factors to these nutritional problems. The weaning period is therefore considered a vulnerable stage that requires adequate maternal awareness, nutritional education, and continuous health supervision.

Improper weaning practices may expose infants to severe health complications, including protein-energy malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, growth retardation, recurrent infections, and developmental delays. The quality, consistency, frequency, and hygiene of complementary foods introduced to infants significantly determine their nutritional status and overall well-being. Mothers who lack adequate knowledge regarding infant nutrition may unintentionally adopt practices that compromise the health and survival of their children.

Healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, nutritionists, and community health workers, play important roles in promoting appropriate infant feeding practices through health education and counselling services. Primary healthcare centres serve as critical platforms for disseminating information on breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and child nutrition to mothers during antenatal, postnatal, and immunization clinics. Continuous maternal education is therefore essential for improving infant feeding practices and reducing child morbidity and mortality.

Against this background, this study seeks to assess infant weaning knowledge and practices among mothers attending selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State. The study aims to determine the extent of mothers’ knowledge regarding recommended weaning practices and evaluate how such knowledge influences practical feeding behaviours among caregivers.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Appropriate infant weaning remains a major challenge in many developing countries, including Nigeria, where inadequate complementary feeding practices continue to contribute to child malnutrition, infections, and preventable deaths among children under five years of age. Although health organizations have consistently emphasized the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months followed by gradual introduction of complementary foods, many mothers still engage in unhealthy weaning practices that negatively affect infant health and development.

In many communities, infants are introduced to water, pap, herbal preparations, or adult foods before the recommended age, while some mothers delay complementary feeding beyond six months. Both early and delayed weaning practices may result in nutritional deficiencies and growth-related complications. Early introduction of supplementary foods may expose infants to infections due to immature digestive and immune systems, whereas delayed weaning may lead to inadequate nutrient intake needed for proper growth and brain development.

Evidence from previous studies indicates that many mothers lack adequate knowledge regarding the appropriate timing, composition, frequency, and hygienic preparation of complementary foods. Poor understanding of infant nutritional needs often results in the use of nutritionally deficient foods that fail to meet the developmental requirements of growing children. In addition, socio-economic pressures, maternal occupation, low educational attainment, cultural beliefs, and inadequate access to nutrition education further influence infant feeding decisions among mothers.

The consequences of improper weaning practices are severe and far-reaching. Children who experience poor complementary feeding are at increased risk of malnutrition, recurrent diarrhoeal diseases, weakened immunity, stunted growth, cognitive impairment, and mortality. Malnutrition during infancy also affects educational performance, productivity, and health outcomes later in adulthood. Despite efforts by healthcare providers and public health agencies to improve child nutrition through awareness campaigns, inappropriate infant feeding practices remain prevalent in many Nigerian communities.

In Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, there is limited empirical evidence regarding mothers’ level of knowledge and actual practices concerning infant weaning. Understanding mothers’ awareness and behaviours related to complementary feeding is essential for designing effective nutrition education programmes and maternal health interventions. It is therefore necessary to investigate infant weaning knowledge and practices among mothers in the study area in order to identify existing gaps and provide evidence-based recommendations for improving child nutrition and health outcomes.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The broad objective of this study is to examine infant weaning knowledge and practices among mothers in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The specific objectives are to:

1. assess the level of knowledge regarding infant weaning among mothers attending selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ikenne Local Government Area;
2. examine infant weaning practices among mothers attending selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ikenne Local Government Area;
3. determine the relationship between mothers’ occupation and infant weaning practices in the study area;
4. examine the relationship between ethnicity and infant weaning practices among mothers in Ikenne Local Government Area;
5. investigate the relationship between educational level and infant weaning practices among mothers in the study area; and
6. determine the relationship between mothers’ knowledge of infant weaning and their weaning practices.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions guided the study:

1. What is the level of knowledge regarding infant weaning among mothers attending selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ikenne Local Government Area?
2. What are the infant weaning practices adopted by mothers in the study area?
3. Is there any relationship between mothers’ occupation and infant weaning practices?
4. What relationship exists between ethnicity and infant weaning practices among mothers in Ikenne Local Government Area?
5. Is there any relationship between educational level and infant weaning practices among mothers in the study area?
6. What relationship exists between mothers’ knowledge level and infant weaning practices?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance:

H01

There is no significant relationship between mothers’ occupation and infant weaning practices among mothers attending selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ikenne Local Government Area.

H02

There is no significant relationship between ethnicity and infant weaning practices among mothers in Ikenne Local Government Area.

H03

There is no significant relationship between educational level and infant weaning practices among mothers in Ikenne Local Government Area.

H04

There is no significant relationship between mothers’ knowledge level and infant weaning practices among mothers in Ikenne Local Government Area.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study focused on infant weaning knowledge and practices among mothers attending selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State. The study specifically examined mothers’ knowledge of complementary feeding, timing of weaning, types of foods introduced to infants, hygienic feeding practices, and factors influencing weaning behaviours. The study was restricted to mothers with infants aged between birth and twenty-four months attending infant welfare clinics within the selected healthcare facilities.

1.7 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be beneficial to mothers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, and public health institutions. The study will provide insight into the level of maternal knowledge and practices regarding infant weaning and identify existing gaps that require intervention.

Healthcare professionals, particularly nurses and nutritionists, will benefit from the findings by gaining evidence-based information that can guide the development of targeted nutrition education programmes for mothers attending maternal and child health clinics.

The study will also assist government agencies and public health organizations in designing policies and community-based interventions aimed at improving infant nutrition, reducing malnutrition, and promoting child survival within the community.

Furthermore, the study will contribute to existing literature on infant feeding practices and serve as a reference material for future researchers interested in maternal and child health, nutrition, and public health studies.

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Weaning

The gradual introduction of complementary foods and liquids alongside breast milk after the first six months of life.

Complementary Feeding

The process of providing additional foods and nutrients to infants while breastfeeding continues.

Mother

A woman with a child between birth and twenty-four months of age.

Knowledge

The level of understanding possessed by mothers regarding appropriate infant weaning practices, timing, and nutritional requirements.

Practice

The actual infant feeding behaviours and methods adopted by mothers during the weaning process.

Infant

A child between birth and twenty-four months of age.

Primary Healthcare Centre

A community-based healthcare facility providing maternal and child health services, including immunization, antenatal care, and nutrition education.

Ikenne Local Government Area

A local government area located in Ogun State, Nigeria, serving as the geographical area for this study.

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World Health Organization. (2021). Infant and young child feeding guidelines. Geneva: WHO. DOWNLOAD FREE PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS