Al-Hikmah University Journal

This study examined the level of advocacy and benefits on the exclusive breastfeeding among nursing mothers in Ilorin East LGA of Kwara State, Nigeria. The study adopted design used for this research was cross sectional survey research design. The study population consisted professional working mothers, aged 40 or younger, who were in full-time employment and working in Ilorin East, LGA, Kwara State. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used and sample size was 100 respondents. Questionnaire was the research instrument used in this study. Findings from the study revealed that even though the respondents were well-informed about exclusive breastfeeding, 48% of professional working mothers were able to practice exclusive breastfeeding and 52% could not practice exclusive breastfeeding according to World Health Organization recommended practice of exclusive breastfeeding. The study concluded that professional working mothers find it difficult to exclusively breastfeed their babies and full-time employment status and family members’ influence undermine the practice of exclusive breastfeeding. It was recommended that government should guarantee that workplace is free of harassment and discrimination against women who prefer to breastfeed their babies through appropriate mechanisms and employers should provide nursing mothers with appropriate condition at work place to breastfeeding their babies as at when due.