Prelacteal Feeding Practices of Mothers Attending Infant Welfare Clinic in a Tertiary Hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Background: Breastfeeding pattern established in the immediate neonatal period is a determinant of long term breastfeeding behaviour.

Objectives: To determine prelacteal feeding practices of mothers attending the Infant Welfare Clinic of a tertiary hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Subjects and Methods: This was a cross sectional hospital based study carried out over a 3 month period. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to mothers whose babies were 0 to 6 months old, who visited the infant welfare clinics of the hospital for any of the child health services such as immunization, nutrition counselling, weighing and vitamin A supplementation. Questions asked included socio-demographics, the first feeds given immediately after birth, how long it took to commence breastfeeding and reasons for giving any feeds other than breast milk.

Results: A total of 207 mothers participated in this study, mean age 30.73±4.129SD. 146 (70.5%) mothers gave breast milk as the first feeds to their babies while 61(29.5%) gave prelacteal feeds. Fifty eight (28%) of the babies were put to breast within 2-12 hours after delivery. There was a significant positive relationship between time to first breast feed and administration of prelacteal feeds (p = 0.000).

Reasons for giving substances other than breast milk included poor or no lactation and caesarian section delivery. The commonest reason for not giving breast milk as the first feed was because breast milk did not flow. Factors which positively influenced giving breastmilk as the first feed included maternal level of education (p=0.018), delivery in government health facilities (p=0.00) and having vaginal delivery (p=0.008).

Conclusion: Prelacteal feeding practice is common among mothers in Port Harcourt. Time to first breast feed, mode of delivery and place of delivery were some of the factors that influenced use of prelacteal feeds.