Abstract
BackgroundExclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is a very important, long lasting and cost effective intervention to help reduce the morbidity and mortality of infants. However, a large proportion of infants are not exclusively breastfed as recommended by the World Health Organization. The study aim was to assess the exclusive breastfeeding practices and identify determinants among mothers in Azezo District, Ethiopia.MethodsA community based cross-sectional study was conducted among 346 mothers with infants aged between 0–6 months. Data were collected using a pretested, interviewer administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were used to describe the study objectives and identify the determinants of EBF in the previous 24 h. Associations between the study and outcome variables were described using odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals (CI).ResultsAny breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding in the previous 24 h were 99 and 79 %, respectively. The mean number of exclusive breastfeeds in the 24 h period was 6.5. Exclusive breastfeeding rates were highest among mothers aged ≥ 30 years (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.75; 95 % CI 1.14, 3.42). Infants whose mothers were unemployed were more likely to be exclusively breastfed than infants whose mothers were employed (AOR 1.62; 95 % CI 1.03, 2.95). Mothers earning ≤ 1000 birr (US $47.62) monthly were 77 % less likely to practice EBF (AOR 0.23; 95 % CI 0.13, 0.44). Mothers who delivered at the healthcare facility practised more exclusive breastfeeding than those who delivered at home (AOR 2.18; 95 % CI 1.22, 4.35). Mothers who received antenatal and postnatal care had better rates of EBF (AOR 2.24; 95 % CI 1.18, 5.76 and AOR 1.62; 95 % CI 1.09, 3.21) and mothers not practicing prelacteal feeding were more likely to exclusively breastfeed compared with mothers practicing prelacteal feeding (AOR 2.16; 95 % CI 1.16, 4.06).ConclusionsAny breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding rates in the previous 24 h are relatively high in the study area compared with previous studies. Maternal factors (age, education, income, employment, antenatal care, prelacteal feeding), infants’ age, delivery place and information access were independent predictors to EBF in previous 24 h. Improving the mother’s knowledge, income, information access, nutritional counselling, quality of antenatal and postnatal care service, place of delivery and avoiding prelacteal feeding practices are important to improving the exclusive breastfeeding rate in the previous 24 h.
Highlights
Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is a very important, long lasting and cost effective intervention to help reduce the morbidity and mortality of infants
Mothers who delivered at healthcare facility and those who had antenatal care exclusively breastfed their infants more than mothers who delivered at home and those who did not have antenatal care, respectively
The probable reasons to this discrepancy could be a variation in study period and the increased effort made in Ethiopia to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as Ethiopia achieved the maternal and child health component of MDGs before 2015
Summary
Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is a very important, long lasting and cost effective intervention to help reduce the morbidity and mortality of infants. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the practice of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months in addition to its continuation with the addition of supplementary foods, for 2 years or more [1]. Exclusive breastfeeding is the practice of feeding on infants only breast milk for the first six months [1, 2] It is the most cost effective intervention to reduce infant morbidity and mortality worldwide [2,3,4]. Almost half of the 10 million deaths of children younger than 5 years old every year are direct or indirect consequences of malnutrition Many of those deaths are associated with inappropriate breastfeeding practices [7, 8]
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