European Journal of Preventive Medicine 2016; 4(3): 73-78 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ejpm doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20160403.14 ISSN: 2330-8222 (Print); ISSN: 2330-8230 (Online) Influence of Community Based Counsellors and Factors Associated with Exclusive Breastfeeding Practices in Ile – Ife, Nigeria Olorunfemi Akinbode Ogundele 1, * , Tolulope Ogundele 2 1 Department of Community Medicine and Primary Care, State Specialist Hospital, Ondo State, Nigeria 2 Department of Paediatrics, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria Email address: femiaoo@yahoo.com (O. A. Ogundele), toludoye@gmail.com (T. Ogundele) * Corresponding author To cite this article: Olorunfemi Akinbode Ogundele, Tolulope Ogundele. Influence of Community Based Counsellors and Factors Associated with Exclusive Breastfeeding Practices in Ile – Ife, Nigeria. European Journal of Preventive Medicine. Vol. 4, No. 3, 2016, pp. 73-78. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20160403.14 Received: March 17, 2016; Accepted: March 28, 2016; Published: April 21, 2016 Abstract: In spite of breastfeeding being almost universal in Nigeria, exclusive breastfeeding rate is low. Poor practices remain a major cause of neonatal and infant mortality. Community Integrated Management of Childhood illness (CIMCI) is a programme that employs the use of community based counsellors to address these challenges. The study assessed the effect of community based counsellor on breastfeeding practices of mothers and factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding in Ile- Ife, South-west, Nigeria. A comparative cross sectional study was conducted in two Local Government Areas (LGA) of Osun State, Nigeria. The study enrolled 722 mothers of index under five children through a multi stage cluster sampling techniques. Data was collected using structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Approximately 94% of children in the CIMCI implementing LGA were exclusively breastfed compared to 76.1% in the non-implementing LGA (p<0.001). Maternal age, maternal education level, family size, Initiation of breastfeeding within an hour of birth and residence in CIMCI- implementing LGA were significantly associated with exclusive breastfeeding. It was concluded that community based counselling has a positive effect on breastfeeding practices. Community based ‘baby friendly’ breastfeeding initiative is suggested. Keywords: Community, Counsellors, Exclusive Breastfeeding, Mothers 1. Introduction Breastfeeding infants exclusively for six months, is vital for optimal growth and development of infants. Breast milk provides all the nutrients needed for most infants up to six months of age. [1] Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is associated with greater reductions in infants’ risks for specific negative health outcomes, including gastrointestinal and respiratory infections. [2] Improving breastfeeding alone could reduce the number of child deaths by more than ten percent. [3] In Nigeria breastfeeding is nearly universal with 97% of children ever breastfed, however the country has one of the poorest exclusive breastfeeding rates in Africa. [4] Recent data shows that the percentage of infants exclusively breastfed rather than increase as anticipated, decreased from 17% in 2003 to 13% in 2008 and has not improved remarkably till now. [4-5] Various factors have been adduced to influence breastfeeding practices. These factors include mother’s marital status, employment status, low maternal education, friends’ method of feeding their babies and social support. [6] The Nigerian government established Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) has not had much effect on EBF rates because majority of women do not deliver in health facilities across the community. [7] This reiterate the importance of community level initiatives. One of such initiative is the World Health Organisation (WHO) driven Community Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (CIMCI), which was implemented in Ife Central Local Government Area in Osun