Production and reproduction : Women and breastfeeding: Some Nigerian examples

Breastfeeding is of crucial importance in the developing world, not only to the health of the mother and her infant, but to the community in general. The importance of breastfeeding of infants lies not only in its nutritional and hygienic properties, but also because of its immunological effects and its influence in the control of fertility. The literature review is combined with a discussion of aspects of research undertaken by the authors under the headings of length of breastfeeding, bottlefeeding and breastfeeding and fertility. Most of the examples come from Nigeria, but the problems discussed are common to much of the developing world. Under a discussion of social and policy implications, the need for governments in the developing countries to adopt the recent World Health Organisation's code of practice to curtail the sale of artificial infant milks, is stressed. It is suggested that health agencies in countries like Nigeria should go to the rural areas now, to instruct the women and men in the dangers of bottle feeding and the benefits of breastfeeding, before the 'modernisation' of infant feeding, so evident in the towns, spreads to the rural areas.