ABSTRACT

This study aimed at determining the way of improving complementary feeding practices adopted by nursing mothers in Isikwuato L.G.A. of Abia State. To achieve this, three research questions were formulated for the study. Survey research design was used for the study. A total of 3092 nursing mothers in Isikwuato L.G.A. formed the population for the study, out of this, total of 310 nursing mothers were randomly selected. Validated structured questionnaire was the instrument used for the study. Frequencies & percentages were used for data analysis. The finding of the study revealed that the most preferred complementary foods used by these mothers were mashed jollof rice (62.00%), followed by home made moi-moi (55.66%) and any food shared by the family (42.69%). The least preferred ones were soft drinks (40%), bobo (35%) and pap enriched ground crayfish (32%). Based on the findings, it is recommended that government should establish polices aimed at encouraging the local farmers to produce more yam, rice, maize, legumes such as soya bean, eowpea etc which are good sources of protein and protein is very vital for infants' growth, government should also revive and encourage the ailing industries that produce baby's' milk in Nigeria. There is also need for government polices aimed at encouraging farmers to produce more maize as a result of increased pap intake in the study area. There is also need for health policies aimed at sterilizing feeding utensils especially, stainless plates and cups, cups, plastic plates and spoons and feeding bottles etc. In order to improve the complementary feeding practices of the these mothers, nutrition education is mostly needed so as to inform the mothers of the very local food available to them such and cowpea, soybean etc to improve the protein consumption of these infants.