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| Effects of Cultural Practices on Exclusive Breastfeeding among Mothers: A Case Study of Tano North District |
Barikisu Mohammed, Evelyn Kodua, Gifty Nyanta Karikari
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Abstract:
Breast milk is an ideal food for infants' growth and development as it has an appropriate balance of nutrients that are easily digested and always available. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of cultural practices on exclusive breastfeeding among mothers in the Tano North District of Ghana. A cross sectional study was used to conduct a study at Duayaw Nkwanta St. Johns of God Hospital. All nursing mothers caring for babies aged between 0-6 months in the Tano North District attending child welfare clinic were involved in the study using a sample size of 100 respondents (nursing mothers). A simple random sampling technique was used to select nursing mothers who were breastfeeding in the Tano North District at the time of the study. A semi-structured questionnaire was used in the study to collect data from the respondents. Data collected were edited, coded and fed into the computer using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Data were presented in tables and graphs to give usual impression of the data. It was found out that about 65% the nursing mothers practice exclusive breastfeeding because of advice from midwives. The study concluded that majority of the nursing mothers' initiates' breastfeeding within 6 hours, practice exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, gave artificial milk to babies before breastfeeding them.
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