Evaluation of Infant Feeding and Care Practices Among Mothers in Nassarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa state

A cross sectional survey was carried out among 200 mothers with infant/child aged between 6–24 months purposively selected from two communities in Nasarawa Eggon, to examined breastfeeding and care practices of mothers in Nasarawa Eggon, LGA. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using frequency count and percentages. The results showed that only 2.0% of the respondents did not have any form of education. Seventy six percent (76.0%) of mothers were breast feeding at the time of the study. Seventy three (73.0%) of the respondents gave colostrums (yellow milk) to their babies Majority of mothers (85.0%) have good knowledge on the benefits of breast feeding. Sixty-nine percent (69.0%) of the mothers introduced complementary food before the age of six month. The common complementary foods used were pap only (19%) and infant formula (21.0%). The main sources of drinking water for majority (40.0%) was river/stream. Most respondents (84.0%) did not boil their drinking water. The findings revealed that breastfeeding is universal, also water management and hygiene practices were found to be poor in the two communities under study. The study shows the need for not only nutrition education but also the need to educate the mothers on the importance of proper sanitation and hygiene practices to the growth and development of a child.