In spite of the stifling heat in the room, 28-year-old Mrs Ojima Ndudi, from the Aso community in Nasarawa State’s Karu Local Government Area, remains completely unfazed.
She focuses entirely on her three-month-old son, who is crying intensely and struggling to nurse.
“I keep waiting for my milk to flow, but today my breasts feel light. Sometimes I wonder whether he is getting enough.”
Like millions of Nigerian mothers, Ndudi wants to exclusively breastfeed her baby for the first six months as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
But rising food prices and shrinking household incomes have turned that recommendation into a daily struggle.
“I keep asking myself one question: if the economy is starving me, how am I supposed to keep my baby alive?” she asked. .
Her experience reflects a growing dilemma confronting low-income mothers across Nigeria, where inflation and food insecurity are threatening gains in maternal and child nutrition.
Health experts say breastfeeding remains one of the most effective interventions for improving child survival, reducing infections and supporting healthy brain development.
Yet many mothers are expected to nourish their babies while struggling to nourish themselves.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria accounts for no fewer than 28 per cent of global maternal deaths, with more than 75,000 women dying annually from pregnancy- and childbirth-related complications.
The country also records no fewer than 262,000 newborn deaths each year, many of which are preventable through quality maternal healthcare and optimal infant feeding practices.
In spite of these realities, only about 29 per cent of Nigerian infants fewer than six months are exclusively breastfed, far below global targets.
Experts attribute the low rate to a combination of poverty, poor maternal nutrition, inadequate maternity protection, workplace barriers, cultural beliefs and limited access to skilled breastfeeding support.
For many families, infant formula is no longer an option.
A survey of pharmacies in the Federal Capital Territory shows that a 400-gram tin of infant formula now costs between N15,000 and N35,000, while specialised brands sell for more than N55,000.
A baby fed entirely on formula may require four or more tins monthly, translating to feeding costs of between N60,000 and over N140,000 every month—well beyond the reach of most households.
As a result, breastfeeding, often described as “free”, has become the only realistic option for many families.
Nutritionists, however, stress that breastfeeding is far from cost-free. Lactating mothers require additional calories and nutritious foods to maintain milk production and protect their own health.
With eggs, beans, fish, fruits and vegetables becoming increasingly expensive, many women are forced to choose between feeding themselves adequately or stretching limited resources to feed the rest of the family.
For Ndudi, every trip to the market comes with painful decisions.
“The food they say I should eat to produce enough milk is now too expensive. I just pray every day that my baby remains healthy,” she said.
Her struggle is not only economic.
Inside her modest home, another conflict unfolds between long-held traditions and modern medical advice.
Her mother-in-law, Mrs Ishioma Ndudi, travelled from Delta to observe “Omugwo”, the traditional postpartum practice in which older female relatives care for new mothers and their babies.
Like many women of her generation, she believes babies should occasionally be given water or herbal mixtures.
“The weather is too hot. How can such a small baby survive without water?” she asked.
Health workers at the local primary healthcare centre insist otherwise, explaining that breast milk alone provides sufficient water and nutrients for babies less than six months, even in hot climates.
They warned that introducing water or herbal preparations too early increases the risk of diarrhoeal diseases and other infections.
Caught between family expectations and professional advice, Ndudi finds herself navigating difficult conversations.
“I respect our traditions, but I also want to do what is best for my baby,” she said.
Public health experts said such experiences are common across Nigeria and underscore the need to involve grandmothers, fathers, religious leaders and traditional birth attendants in breastfeeding education.
They also warned that economic hardship and aggressive marketing of breast-milk substitutes continue to weaken mothers’ confidence in exclusive breastfeeding.
Mrs Toyin Saraki, Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, said the consequences extended beyond individual families.
According to her, the Foundation’s “Cost of Not Breastfeeding” tracking tool shows that Nigeria loses billions of naira annually in future economic productivity because poor infant-feeding practices contribute to impaired childhood development and reduced cognitive potential.
“We have trained thousands of midwives, but the workplace remains a hostile environment for nursing mothers,” she said.
Saraki said that many women returned to work without access to crèches, lactation rooms or flexible working arrangements that would enable them to continue exclusive breastfeeding.
The challenge is even greater in Nigeria’s informal sector, where many women resume trading or other income-generating activities within weeks of childbirth because they cannot afford prolonged maternity leave.
The Federal Government says it is taking steps to improve breastfeeding outcomes.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said breastfeeding remained central to efforts to reduce maternal and newborn deaths and improve Nigeria’s human capital.
Pate said the government was strengthening implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative while promoting workplace policies that supported breastfeeding mothers, including enforcement of the 112-day paid maternity leave and the Workplace Breastfeeding and Lactation Support Programme Toolkit.
Health experts welcome these initiatives but argue that policies alone will not solve the problem unless they are fully implemented and backed by adequate funding.
They recommend expanding nutrition support, food assistance, cash transfer programmes and community-based breastfeeding counselling, particularly for vulnerable pregnant and breastfeeding women.
They also advocate stronger enforcement of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes to ensure mothers receive accurate, unbiased information when making infant-feeding decisions.
Experts insist that Nigeria’s breastfeeding challenge is no longer merely a health issue. It is increasingly an economic and social justice issue.
A mother cannot be expected to provide optimal nutrition for her child while battling hunger herself.
As evening falls over the Aso community, Ndudi gently rocks her son to sleep.
For a brief moment, the crying stops.
Tomorrow will bring another trip to the market, another search for affordable food and another determination to give her baby the best possible start in life despite difficult circumstances.
Her story mirrors that of millions of Nigerian mothers whose commitment to exclusive breastfeeding is tested daily by inflation, food insecurity and competing social expectations.
For them, breastfeeding is more than a health recommendation; it is an act of resilience.
To give children the best start in life, experts argue that Nigeria must go beyond advocating for exclusive breastfeeding; it must create environments that actively nourish, protect, and support mothers.
(NANFeatures)
