Results: Breastfeeding was perceived as essential to baby’s health. It strengthens the physical and spiritual bondbetween mothers and their children. Exclusive breastfeeding was considered essential but demanding. Only a smallproportion (19%) of the nursing mothers practiced exclusive breastfeeding. The survey showed the majorconstraints to exclusive breastfeeding to be: the perception that babies continued to be hungry after breastfeeding(29%); maternal health problems (26%); fear of babies becoming addicted to breast milk (26%); pressure frommother-in-law (25%); pains in the breast (25%); and the need to return to work (24%). In addition, the qualitativefindings showed that significant others played dual roles with consequences on breastfeeding practices. The desireto practice exclusive breastfeeding was often compromised shortly after child delivery. Poor feeding, inadequatesupport from husband and conflicting positions from the significant others were dominant constraints. The nursesdecried the effects of their workload on providing quality supports for nursing mothers