Infant feeding in Nigeria

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Abstract
A study by questionnaire of 1845 urban and 349 rural mothers in all regions of Nigeria is reported. Ninety-nine percent of all mothers commenced breast feeding their infants. In urban areas most continued for at least 6 mo. and in rural areas from at least 12 mo. In urban areas, 77% of the infants were given infant formula by the age of 3 mo.; in rural areas 40% were given infant formulae. Cereals were also introduced early to many children. Many mothers seemed to use inadequate methods for preparing infant formulae. The reasons for and the effects of this pattern of infant feeding are not clear, but it presumably meets the overall needs of the population. Further investigation is needed before attempts are made to enforce change.