The role of fathers in the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding among the Marakwet community, in Marakwet West Sub County, Kenya.

Abstract

Introduction: Breast feeding has been endorsed by the World Health Organization and scientific organizations as the best start for infants. Exclusive breast feeding for the first six months of life provides all the nutrients for growth and protection against infections hence, preventing malnutrition. It has been proved to reduce infant mortality rates by 13%. For mothers to exclusively breast feed, they need support from all the stakeholders especially fathers, because of their position as decision makers, providers and caretakers at the household level. This study explored father’s role in promoting exclusive breast feeding in Marakwet West Sub- County, Kenya. Objectives: This study aimed at determining the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding in the Marakwet community and to describe the role of fathers in promoting exclusive breast feeding. It also sought to establish the knowledge of breast feeding among fathers as well as views of women on fathers’ support of breast feeding in their community. Methodology: This was a cross sectional descriptive study where both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed. The study involved 30 fathers and 405 mothers/women, who had children aged two years and below. Qualitative data was collected through recorded focus group discussions involving 30 fathers and 17 mothers in six focus group discussions. The data was then transcribed verbatim, processed by cleaning, coding, entry, and analysis done thematically. The quantitative data was collected using questionnaires administered to 388 mothers seeking maternal child health services at Chebiemit Sub County Hospital. The data was then entered into database created in SPSS version 17. Frequency tables were generated for categorical variables while mean as a measure of central tendency was used for continuous variables to get the mean age of exclusively breast feeding mothers and when breast feeding stops. A confidence interval of 95% against the estimated prevalence was computed using confidence interval computation of proportions formula. Results: Prevalence of exclusive breast feeding in Marakwet West Sub- County was 20% with a 95% confidence interval of [16%, 36%]. As much as breast feeding was a common practice, with 88% of the mothers breast feeding their infants, there was a high uptake of prelacteal feeds which contributes to low prevalence of exclusive breast feeding. Findings showed that fathers support the mother in carrying out household chores, mostly through, securing a ‘helper’; provided food that met the nutritional requirements of the mothers; played a connecting role between the mother and her in-laws, and gave emotional support mothers emotionally by being available. Fathers/partners were reasonably knowledgeable about breast feeding and perceived breast feeding as the only healthy way to feed an infant. They demonstrated their understanding of exclusive breast feeding but were aware of the non- exclusive breast feeding practices. Women viewed the role of fathers as supportive of exclusive breast feeding by providing nutritional support and relieving the mother of household chores by getting a ‘helper’ or performing other duties personally.Conclusion: In Marakwet West Sub-County, fathers showed their support for exclusive breast feeding through their family members, especially mother in-laws (the man’s mother), facilitating availability of helpers and basic needs especially food. They are knowledgeable about and valued breast feeding as the only healthy way to feed infants. Recommendation: The study findings provide useful information to Elgeiyo Marakwet County Government Programmers and researchers interested in breast feeding support by males and feeding practices in Marakwet community. Further research should be done on ways of improving exclusive breastfeeding in the County.