Infant Feeding Practices among Adolescent Mothers in Nigeria
This study examines the complexities of infant feeding practices among adolescent mothers in Nigeria using data from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The study reveals that only 39% of adolescent mothers initiated breastfeeding within one hour of birth, and 28.5% practiced exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. The multivariate logistic regression analysis shows that adolescent mothers with secondary education or higher were more likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding, while unmarried adolescent mothers were less likely to initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth. The study also found that 38.9% of infants were wasted, and 36.4% were stunted. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to support adolescent mothers in practicing optimal infant feeding and reducing the risk of malnutrition among their infants. Policymakers and healthcare providers should prioritize interventions that provide education and counseling on breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices, particularly for adolescent mothers with low levels of education and those who are unmarried.