Abstract
Breastfeeding has many health benefits for both mother and infant. Breast milk contains all the nutrients an infant need in the first 6 months of life. Exclusive breastfeeding is the most widely known and effective intervention for preventing early-childhood deaths. Optimum breastfeeding practices can prevent 1.4 million deaths worldwide among children under five every year. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding and associated factors among mothers who have an infant six months up to one year old in Hargeisa, Somaliland. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from November to December, 2019. A cluster along with simple random sampling technique was used to select sample population. A total of 357 mothers with children aged six months to one year old were included in this study. Data were collected using questionnaires administered at interview. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 68%. Those mothers who were heard information on EBF [AOR=14.243 CI (4.630, 43.816)], attend ANC service [AOR=25.412 (3.506, 184.179)], received breastfeeding counseling during antenatal care (ANC) [AOR=6.037 (2.878, 12.666)], aware that breastfeeding is enough the child up to six months [AOR=3.411 (1.536, 7.577)], and had fed colostrum [AOR=4.663 CI (2.107, 10.321)] were more likely to practice EBF than their counterparts. The proportion of exclusive breastfeeding in the city was below WHO Infant and Young Child Feeding recommendations. The practice of exclusive breastfeeding in mothers of under 6 months children was influenced by receiving information about EBF, colostrum discharging, awareness of breast feeding is enough the child up to six month and antenatal care visit were significantly associated with EBF practice (P < 0.05).
Highlights
Background of the StudyExclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is defined as “an infant’s consumption of human milk with no supplementation of any type except for vitamins, minerals, and medications until six months” [1]
Receiving information about EBF, colostrum discharging, awareness of breast feeding is enough the child up to six month and antenatal care visit were significantly associated with EBF practice (P < 0.05)
Several socio-demographic variables analyzed in multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that, all of them was not significantly associated with exclusive breastfeeding
Summary
Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is defined as “an infant’s consumption of human milk with no supplementation of any type (no water, no juice, no nonhuman milk, and no foods) except for vitamins, minerals, and medications until six months” [1]. It is the best recommended infant feeding method for the first six months of life and has a protective effect against child morbidity and mortality [2]. Breast milk contains all the nutrients an infant need in the first 6 months of life It is the most ideal, safe, and complete food that a mother can provide for her newborn [3]. More than two third of these deaths were often associated
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