Breastfeeding Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice and Related Determinants Among Maternal in Gondar, Ethiopia: Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Breastfeeding has always been the ideal feeding practice for infants because of that it is one of the components of Primary Health Care and considered as natural practices in Ethiopia even though it remains a challenging due to lack of knowledge of mothers. The objective of this study was to assess the breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, practice and related Determinants among Maternal in Gondar; Northwest Ethiopia. A cross sectional community based study was carried out from September to December, 2015 in Gondar City. A total of 543 women who had a child aged less than 24 months from five different villages. The sample size determination was calculated using the single proportion formula. Households that have lactating mothers who had child less than 24 months were selected by multistage random sampling technique. The questionnaire was distributed according to the proportion of the selected village population Data were analyzed using SPSS v21. Binary logistic regressions were used to see the strength of association between independent and dependent variables using odds ratios and 95% of confidence intervals. Finally a multivariate logistic regression analysis was made to identify the predictors of maternal knowledge about optimal breastfeeding practices. Full breastfeeding was reported by 59.3%, mixed feeding was reported by 31.3% and infant formula feeding was reported by 12.4%. Almost one third of the full breastfeeding group did so for 7–12 months, and almost two thirds did continue breastfeeding for more than one year. Employed women were more likely not to practice full breastfeeding compared to unemployed women (odds ratio 3.34, 96% CI 1.60, 6.98), and women who had caesarian delivery were more likely not to repetition full breastfeeding compared to those who had vaginal delivery (odds ratio 2.36, 97% CI 1.17, 4.78). The women had a positive attitude but short maternity leaves had a negative impact on breastfeeding. This study showed that a majority of mothers has known the importance of Exclusive Breast Feeding and have good attitude, knowledge in order that strongly agree that Exclusive Breast Feeding is advantageous for infant aged less than six months. Though, poor practice to exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months postpartum among urban mothers. It is speculated health care providers and decision makers should be comprehensively addressed on adverse work related issues to improve exclusively breast feeding practices in the study community.