Infant Care Practices Adopted by Mothers in the Rural Communities of Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State

ABSTRACT The study examined the infant care practices adopted by mothers in the rural communities of Udi Local Government Area of Enugu state. The objectives of the study were to determine the infant feeding, hygiene/cleanliness maintenance, umbilical cord care, warmth maintenance and health/care-seeking practices adopted by the mothers in the area as well as compare the adequacy of performances by the mothers across the different infant care practices and the association between their adoption of the practices and their demographic characteristics. The research design for the study was a descriptive survey design. The target population of the study were estimated to be 26,486 women of child bearing age of 15 -49 years. Ogebe-ogene, one of the development centres in Udi L.G.A was selected for the study using a simple random sampling technique. Proportionate sampling method was used to draw 12.5% of the sample size of 392 women of child –bearing age from each of the 8 villages in Ogebe-ogene for the study. Snowball method of sampling was used to reach the mothers who met the inclusion criteria. The instrument for data collection was researcher’s developed questionnaire. The collected data were subjected to simple descriptive statistical analysis of frequency and percentage.Chi-square was used to analyse the strength of association between the demographic data of mothers and their performances of the different infant care practices at 0.05 significant level. Major findings revealed that infant feeding was fairly practiced and was placed fourth in the adequacy of performances across the 5 determined infant care practices. Cord care practices were poor and was the least performed as less than average of the respondents adequately performed the optimal cord care practices as operationally defined. Warmth maintenance practices was the best adequately performed infant care and was followed by the hygiene care practices. Health care seeking practices was fairly practiced as a little above the average number of the mothers performed the practices adequately though a significant number (a little below the average) practiced self medication. There was a significant association between the maternal level of education and their adequacy of performance of all the infant care practices determined. Maternal age was significantly associated with their adoption of adequate infant feeding and health /care seeking practices. Occupations of the mothers were significantly associated with their adoption of adequate infant feeding, hygiene maintenance, warmth maintenance and health/care seeking practices. Maternal parity was significantly associated with their performance of adequate infant feeding, cord care, warmth maintenance and health /care seeking pattern. However, no significant difference was found between hygiene/ cleanliness maintenance practices and the maternal parity. Conclusion was drawn that cord care practices was poorly performed with infant feeding and health /care seeking practices only fairly /moderately practiced of all the examined infant care practices. Also, education, occupation, culture and experience (age and parity) were of significant association to the mothers’ practices. It was recommended that health workers and other stake –holders (particularly the public/ community – based nurses) should create more enlightenment/outreach programmes like health education and health visits to encourage improved adoption, and performances of cord care infant feeding and health/ care, seeking practices.