By Babatunde Ayedoju
It is common knowledge that babies cannot be fed the same food as adults, as their digestive systems are not yet equipped to handle such heavy meals. That is why certain foods are specially produced for infants to complement breast milk. Such foods must have gone through proper processing and received approval from the appropriate government authorities.
Over the years, through socialisation and mentorship, aided by formal education, most nursing mothers have acquired a good understanding of what babies should or should not be fed, in order to avoid avoidable tragedies.
However, it is undeniable that some people still engage in dangerous practices for various reasons, regardless of the implications for themselves and others, including their own children.
Recently, a disturbing video surfaced online showing a woman feeding an alcoholic herbal drink, to a baby girl. The footage, which was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by content creator Chuks Eric, captured the unidentified woman holding the child and pouring the contents of a sachet of the alcoholic beverage into the baby’s mouth.
The video was captioned, “Every night just for her to sleep,” suggesting the act was habitual. Although it was not confirmed at the time whether the woman was the child’s biological mother, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) stated that it had opened an investigation into the matter.
In a statement posted via its official X handle, the NPF condemned the incident and described it as “distressing.” The police called the behaviour both illegal and dangerous, noting that exposing a child to alcohol poses serious health risks.
The police also appealed to the public for assistance in identifying the woman, urging Chuks Eric or anyone with relevant information to come forward. “They can reach out to us on 09169967000. The child’s safety is our priority,” the force said.
Clearly, this incident is not isolated. Quite a number of nursing mothers in this society engage in practices that endanger their babies’ lives—either out of ignorance or deliberately.
Ben Efoghe, a medical doctor, identified some unhealthy practices among African nursing mothers such as force feeding, not allowing babies to belch after breastfeeding, breastfeeding while lying down, rubbing silver bird on the skin of babies, keeping clothes of newborn babies in camphor, and using scalding water on the navel of babies.
He said that such practices can result in health conditions such as aspiration and death, seborrhoic dermatitis in children, reflux and aspiration, otitis media (ear infection) in the babies, jaundice, hot water burns, and mastitis.
He said, “forced feeding is a harmful practice and it should strongly be opposed on account of the risk. Mothers are advised to feed the children when they are eating (from the same plate) so as to encourage the children to try different food types. Likewise, mild application of cream on the scalp of babies should suffice, as opposed to heaping oils over the babies’ fontanelle.
While recommending the burping of babies after breastfeeding to reduce reflux and aspiration, Efoghe added, “Avoiding the use of camphor or chemicals like silver bird on babies or their clothing will reduce the incidence of neonatal jaundice. Likewise, mothers should avoid using hot compress on the breasts of infants, irrespective of the size, as they are natural responses to the mother’s hormones that will resolve gradually.”
Another medical doctor who craved anonymity explained that feeding children with herbal mixtures is a common practice among nursing mothers, often influenced by their mothers, mothers-in-law, and even husbands.
She said, “you’ll hear them saying that their own parents gave them such things and nothing happened to them. Sometimes, parents whose children have jaundice give them pawpaw leaves; those with convulsions are given cow urine and other harmful substances. I even heard a father say that he gives his child alcohol in small quantities so the child can get used to it from childhood.”
Akinyanmi attributed such harmful practices to ignorance and stubbornness, stating that many people involved believe they are experienced enough to know what is right.
“Unfortunately, by the time they bring their children for treatment, it’s already too late for some. Others may go on to suffer organ damage at a young age, and people are left wondering why the child has such conditions,” she added.
Timilehin Olusola, a nurse, identified drug abuse as another common and dangerous practice among mothers. According to her, some nursing mothers believe that whenever a child starts crying, they should administer paracetamol. She noted that some even give their babies paracetamol after immunisation.
“Meanwhile, just because a child is crying doesn’t mean they need paracetamol. Many mothers abuse the drug to the extent that it leads to liver damage in some children,” she said.
Olusola also explained that some mothers administer herbal drugs to their babies without knowing the correct dosage. She said that some justify their actions by claiming that most commonly used drugs originate from herbs—overlooking the fact that prescription drugs are carefully researched and dosed.
She further identified female genital mutilation (FGM) as another unwholesome practice, even though it is illegal. “Civilisation is happening so fast that it is reducing a lot of unwholesome practices among mothers,” she said.
Olubunmi Ogundaisi, another nurse, pointed out that some mothers feed their babies concoctions, believing such substances will make the babies stronger. She also mentioned other poor practices such as storing expressed breast milk in feeding bottles for convenience, unhealthy diets, poor hygiene, and improper cord care.
Ogundaisi warned that such practices can damage vital organs and expose the baby to sepsis and other infections. Children who fall victim to these harmful traditions risk stunted development, including poor growth of vital organs.
In the words of Yinka Odekunle, another nurse, “I heard of how some mothers give their children diazepam—a sedative and anticonvulsant—to make them sleep at night so they won’t be disturbed. This can later lead to the death of the child due to overdose.”
Odekunle attributed such behaviour to ignorance about the adverse effects of self-medication, particularly during the critical developmental stages of a child’s life. She emphasised the need for more health education and promotion focused on maternal and child health.