Breastfeeding intentions and practices of women in Plateau State, Nigeria : a cross-sectional study of women attending antenatal clinics in selected hospitals

Includes bibliographical references.Breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months of a child’s life, and subsequently continuing to breastfeed until the child is 2 years old, potentially reduces maternal and child morbidity and mortality and has numerous benefits for mother and child. Infant feeding practices can change within a short period due to several modifiable factors. Underpinned by the Health Belief Model, this study attempted to identify the breastfeeding practices of women and the factors that influence these practices. The study also assessed mothers’ intentions to breastfeed the baby/infant following delivery of the current pregnancy