Breastfeeding Knowledge Research Articles

Factors Affecting the Breastfeeding Duration of Infants and Young Children in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

To investigate the factors affecting the duration of continuous breastfeeding of infants within 2 years of age, and to explore intervention strategies that may promote breastfeeding duration in China. A self-made electronic questionnaire was used to investigate the breastfeeding duration of infants, and the influencing factors were collected from three levels of individual, family, and social support. The Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test and the multivariable ordinal logistic regression model were used for data analysis. Subgroup analysis was carried out according to region and parity. A total of 1001 valid samples from 26 provinces across the country were obtained. Among them, 9.9% breastfed for less than 6 months, 38.6% for 6 to 12 months, 31.8% for 12 to 18 months, 6.7% for 18 to 24 months, and 13.1% for more than 24 months. Barriers to sustained breastfeeding included the mother's age at birth being over 31, education level below junior high, cesarean delivery, and the baby's first nipple sucking at 2 to 24 h after birth. Factors that promote continued breastfeeding included freelancer or full-time mother, high breastfeeding knowledge score, supporting breastfeeding, baby with low birth weight, first bottle feeding at 4 months and later, first supplementary food at over 6 months old, high family income, the mother's family and friends supporting breastfeeding, breastfeeding support conditions after returning to work, etc. Conclusion: The breastfeeding duration in China is generally short, and the proportion of mothers breastfeeding until the age of 2 years and above, recommended by WHO, is very low. Multiple factors at the individual, family, and social support levels influence the duration of breastfeeding. It is suggested to improve the current situation by strengthening health education, improving system security, and enhancing social support.

Knowledge, attitude, practice and determinants of exclusive breastfeeding among women in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the pooled estimate of Ethiopia's women's knowledge, attitudes, practices, and determinants of exclusive breastfeeding. MethodsPubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct, and Addis Ababa University online library were searched. Data were extracted using Microsoft Excel and analyzed using STATA statistical software (v. 14). Publication bias was checked by forest plot, Begg's rank test, and Egger's regression test. To look for heterogeneity, I2 was computed, and an overall estimated analysis was carried out. Subgroup analysis was done by region, study setting, and publication. The pooled odds ratio for associated factors was also computed. ResultsOut of 995 studies reviewed, 33 met our eligibility criteria and were included in this meta-analysis study. The total number of study participants was 13,397. The pooled prevalence of good knowledge, positive attitude, and poor practice of kangaroo mother care were 74.2% (95% CI: 62.9–85.4), 77.2% (95%CI: 68.3–86.0), and 58.3% (95% CI: 49.9–66.6), respectively. In sub-group analysis, the highest prevalence of knowledge was in institution-based studies (78.3%) and unpublished studies (76.3%). A positive attitude was also highest in institutional-based studies (81%). The highest practice prevalence was in Afar (68%) and the lowest was in Addis Ababa (34.6%).Women who had a secondary level of education (AOR = 3.3; 95%CI: 1.8–6.0) were a housewife (AOR = 3.1; 95%CI: 2.1–4.7), delivered vaginally (AOR = 2.0; 95%CI: 1.4–2.9), health facility delivery (AOR = 3.3; 95%CI: 2.1–5.1) and attending antenatal care were predictors of exclusive breastfeeding. ConclusionAlthough women have good knowledge and positive attitude toward exclusive breastfeeding, there is a significant gap in exclusive breastfeeding practice. Maternal education, occupation, vaginal delivery, institutional delivery, and antenatal care visit were predictors of exclusive breastfeeding. It is recommended to strengthen maternal and child health services.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Exclusive Breastfeeding among Mothers of a Private Hospital at Sarawak, Malaysia

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) starting within one hour of birth until a baby is six months old to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Breastfeeding can be continued up to 2 years of age, completed with nutritious complementary foods and water. The rate remains low in many countries, including Malaysia. It is important to understand barriers of exclusive breast feeding to tackle these issues and improve maternal and child health. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021, including all mothers with children aged 1 to 36 months attending the paediatric clinic in KPJ Kuching Specialist Hospital, Sarawak. In this study, data were collected using an eelectronic questionnaire via Google form and compiled with Statistical Package Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 23. A total of 351 questionnaires were completed. Overall findings on the knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers showed 92.3% agreed breastfeeding helps reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect, and 94.3% showed exclusive breastfeeding must be practised until the infant is six months old. There was a significant relationship between maternal age and knowledge (p-value 0.013), employment status and the relationship between knowledge (p-value 0.001), monthly household and attitude (0.021). Attentive education for primigravida and widespread local community education and support may help improve breastfeeding continuation rates. The provision of workplace facilities by providing workplace day care may assist in overcoming the barriers to preventing exclusive breastfeeding continuation once back at work.

Breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, intention and practice of women in Purdah in Ibadan, Nigeria

Background: Religious beliefs and practices have been implicated in mothers’ breastfeeding practices; however, little is known about the breastfeeding intention and practices of women in Purdah. Aims: To assess the breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, intention and practices of women in Purdah in Ibadan, Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: Three hundred and sixty-three consenting women in Purdah (250 married and 113 unmarried) from seven Islamic and Arabic schools (Madrasah) participated in this cross-sectional study. A semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to elicit data on the respondents’ sociodemographic characteristics, breastfeeding knowledge and breastfeeding attitude. Breastfeeding intention and practices were also obtained from unmarried and married respondents respectively. Results: The average age of the respondents was 31.2 ± 6.6 years, 68.9 % were married while 56.4 % of the unmarried were engaged to getting married (Khitba). Two-thirds of the married women had adequate breastfeeding knowledge while 56.6 % of the unmarried women had inadequate breastfeeding knowledge. Overall, 6 out of every 10 women in Purdah had adequate breastfeeding knowledge. Also, 6 out 10 of the respondents had positive attitudes toward breastfeeding (65.2 % for married and 58.4 % for unmarried), however, less than half of the unmarried and married women had appropriate intention (47 %) to breastfeeding and good breastfeeding practices (47.2 %) respectively. A Significant relationship was found between breastfeeding knowledge, attitude and intention among unmarried women. Similarly, significant association also existed between breastfeeding knowledge, attitude and practices among married women in Purdah. Conclusions: Targeted breastfeeding intervention that would improve breastfeeding intention and practices of women in Purdah should be adopted in the teaching curriculum at Islamic and Arabic schools. Keywords: breastfeeding, Muslim women, Islamic and Arabic schools, Purdah.

Interventions and Programs to Promote Breastfeeding in Arabic-Speaking Countries: A Scoping Review.

Low prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding in the Arab world is concerning and suboptimal breastfeeding is a leading child health risk factor in several Arab States. Breastfeeding education has the capacity to improve breastfeeding knowledge and practice, thus positively impacting infant and maternal health. The purpose of this review is to identify and examine the impact of breastfeeding promotion interventions across the Arab world. A scoping review of the literature was conducted across seventeen databases for relevant publications published through October 2021 to find studies in Arab countries, that involved breastfeeding as an intervention component. Twenty-one articles met inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Individual and community based educational interventions offer the opportunity to positively impact the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of breastfeeding in new mothers in Arab countries. Increased breastfeeding has the potential to lead to improved neonate and maternal health. In addition to significant benefits found across individual and community-based interventions in a variety of Arab countries, there is also evidence that interventions that improve the knowledge of health care professionals and/or the practices of a health care system can contribute to subsequent increases in breastfeeding rates. Breastfeeding education is a low-cost and high-impact public health tool that can impact infant and maternal health and potentially increase breastfeeding adherence in the Arab world.

Perinatal support for breastfeeding using mHealth: A mixed methods feasibility study of the My Baby Now app.

Despite the well-known benefits of breastfeeding, breastfeeding rates remain suboptimal, particularly for women with lower socioeconomic position. Although popular, breastfeeding apps are often poor quality; their impact on breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, confidence and intentions is unknown. A mixed method pre-post feasibility study was conducted to: 1) explore the feasibility of the My Baby Now app in providing perinatal breastfeeding support; 2) examine the impact on breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, confidence and intentions; 3) to examine any differences in acceptability and impact of the app according to maternal education. The My Baby Now app was offered to pregnant women 20-30 weeks gestation. Breastfeeding knowledge and intentions were collected at baseline (T1) and 36-38 weeks gestation (T2); attitudes and confidence were collected at baseline, T2 and T3 (8-12 weeks post-partum). App engagement was measured via app analytics. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample following T3. Of 266 participants recruited, 169 (64%) completed T2 and 157 (59%) completed T3. Mothers without university education rated the app to be higher quality, more useful and impactful than mothers with university education. From T1-T2, breastfeeding knowledge (59.6% vs. 66.5%, p < 0.001) and exclusive breastfeeding intentions (76.6% vs. 80.9%, p < 0.001) increased. Breastfeeding attitudes and confidence scores also increased significantly across T1-T2 and T1-T3. App engagement during pregnancy predicted changes in breastfeeding attitudes from T1-T2 among participants without university education. App engagement did not predict changes in breastfeeding knowledge, confidence or intentions. Future randomised controlled studies should examine the effectiveness of mHealth interventions on breastfeeding outcomes.

Levels and Determinants of Antenatal Breastfeeding Attitudes among Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

Breastfeeding attitudes are strong predictors of breastfeeding behavior. Gaining a deeper understanding on the levels and determinants of antenatal breastfeeding attitudes is crucial. This cross-sectional study involved 124 pregnant women at a tertiary hospital in Hunan, China. A self-administered questionnaire, the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale, the Childbirth Attitude Questionnaire, the Perceived Social Support Scale, and the Breastfeeding Knowledge Questionnaire were assessed during their first-trimester, second-trimester, and third-trimester hospital visit. Multiple linear regression was conducted to identify the determinants of breastfeeding attitudes. The participants reported neutral (56.39 ± 5.69) levels of breastfeeding attitudes. The determinants of antenatal breastfeeding attitudes were other family members' support for exclusive breastfeeding: moderate (β = 0.278, p < 0.05), depressive symptoms (β = -0.191, p < 0.05), and breastfeeding knowledge (β = 0.434, p < 0.001). The variables explained 33.9% (adjusted R2) of the total variation in breastfeeding attitudes scores (F = 4.507, p < 0.001). Namely, other family members' support for EBF was a negative influence on positive breastfeeding attitudes. The women whose other family members were moderate of EBF had more positive attitudes toward breastfeeding compared to those whose other family members were very supportive of EBF. The depressive symptoms were negatively associated with positive breastfeeding attitudes, and lower levels of depressive symptoms were associated with higher levels of positive breastfeeding attitudes among pregnant women. Additionally, breastfeeding knowledge was positively associated with positive breastfeeding attitudes. The more knowledgeable about breastfeeding, the more positive the attitude towards breastfeeding. Health professionals should identify these modifiable factors that may contribute to poorer breastfeeding attitudes, which is useful in targeting promotions of breastfeeding.

Knowledge about breastfeeding of children 0-6 months among mothers attending hospital services in Kosovo

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge and socio-demographic correlates of breastfeeding of children aged 0-6 months among mothers with young children in post-war Kosovo. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kosovo during the period December 2017 – February 2018 including a representative sample of 201 mothers (aged 29.4±6.0 years) with young children attending hospital services. In addition to socio-demographic data, a structured 13-item questionnaire inquiring about breastfeeding of children aged 0-6 months was administered to all women. A summary score was calculated for all 13 items related to women’s knowledge on breastfeeding (0 denoting incorrect answers to all 13 items, and 13 denoting correct answers to all 13 questions). General linear model was used to assess the association between summary score of the knowledge about breastfeeding and socio-demographic characteristics of the women. Results: Mean summary score of the 13 items related to knowledge about breastfeeding was 10.3±1.9; median score was 11 (interquartile range: 9-12). In multivariable-adjusted models, the mean summary score of knowledge about breastfeeding of children 0-6 months was slightly but non-significantly higher among “older” women, those residing in urban areas, highly educated women, those currently employed, and women with a higher income level. Conclusion: Generally, the level of knowledge about breastfeeding of children aged 0-6 months was satisfactory among mothers with young children included in this survey in Kosovo. Furthermore, there were seemingly no significant socio-demographic differences in the level of knowledge about breastfeeding of young infants among women in this study carried out in Kosovo.

A training curriculum for an mHealth supported peer counseling program to promote exclusive breastfeeding in rural India

BackgroundDespite strong evidence about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, that is the baby receiving only breast milk, no other foods or liquids, rates have remained relatively unchanged over the past two decades in low- and middle-income countries. One strategy for increasing exclusive breastfeeding is through community-based programs that use peer counselors for education and support. The use of mobile health applications is also gaining increasing applicability in these countries. Minimal information is available about training peer counselors in the use of mobile technologies to support exclusive breastfeeding. The present article describes our curriculum in the state of Karnataka, India for supporting new mothers to exclusively breastfeed using a mobile health application in rural India.MethodsTwenty-five women from the community surrounding the city of Belgavi, Karnataka, India were trained to be peer counselors and to use a mobile health application to conduct a structured curriculum to support new mothers in exclusive breastfeeding. The three-day interactive training, conducted in March 2018, was based on the WHO breastfeeding course, translated, and adapted to the local culture The curriculum, which included information collected during a formative research process, consisted of eight visits, two during the antenatal period and continuing for six months postpartum. Twelve nursing and obstetric experts validated curriculum content. Pre-post-evaluation of the training focused on breastfeeding knowledge, self-efficacy, skills, and app usability.ResultsWe observed a significant increase in the mean scores for knowledge (P < 0.0001) and skills (P = 0.0006) from pre- to post-training. Age of the peer counselors and their own breastfeeding experience correlated significantly with the acquisition of knowledge and skills. The mobile health app showed high usability scores.ConclusionsThe culturally adapted curriculum presented here, combined with an mHealth app, can be an important educational strategy for training rural women in the acquisition of exclusive breastfeeding knowledge and skills.

Encouraging and Reinforcing Safe Breastfeeding Practices during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Promote safe breastfeeding during the pandemic. All participants were encouraged to request safe breastfeeding education from their prenatal provider. Pregnant mothers received appropriate breastfeeding and COVID-19 safe breastfeeding education in line with the CDC's COVID-19 breastfeeding guidelines. Data were obtained from 39 mothers attending Nashville General Hospital pediatric well-baby clinics (Group I: from December 2019 to June 2020) and 97 pregnant women attending prenatal clinics (Group II: from July 2020 to August 2021). The participants' ages ranged from 15 to 45 years, with a mean of 27.5 ± 6.2. The women in both groups were similar in age, education, employment, and breastfeeding experience. They were equally unlikely to use face masks at home even while receiving guests or holding their babies. Although 121 (89.0%) women claimed face mask use while shopping, the rate for never doing so was 7 (18.0%) vs. 8 (8.3%) (p < 0.006) for Groups I and II, respectively. Safe practices included limited outing (66 (48.5%)), sanitized hands (62 (45.6%)), restricted visitors (44 (32.4%)), and limited baby outing (27 (19.9%)), and 8 (8.3%) in Group II received COVID-19 vaccinations. About half described fair and accurate COVID-19 safe breastfeeding knowledge, but 22 (30.1%) of them claimed they received no information. Breastfeeding contraindication awareness for Groups I and II were as follows: cocaine = 53.8% vs. 37.1%, p < 0.06; HIV = 35.9% vs. 12.4%, p < 0.002; breast cancer = 17.9% vs. 16.5%; and COVID-19 with symptoms = 28.2% vs. 5.2%, p < 0.001. The information source was similar, with family, friends, and media accounting for 77 (56.6%) of women while doctors, nurses, and the CLC was the source for 21 (15.4%) women. Exclusive breastfeeding one month postpartum for Groups I and II was 41.9% and 12.8% (p < 0.006), respectively. The mothers were not more knowledgeable regarding breastfeeding safely one year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Conflicting lay information can create healthy behavior ambivalence, which can be prevented by health professionals confidently advising mothers to wear face masks when breastfeeding, restricting visitors and outings, and accepting COVID-19 vaccination. This pandemic remains an open opportunity to promote and encourage breastfeeding to every mother as the default newborn feeding method.

Knowledge and practices of breastfeeding among the lactating mothers of Lambashia Rohingya Refugee Camp at Cox's Bazar

Knowledge and practices of breastfeeding among the lactating mothers of Lambashia Rohingya Refugee Camp at Cox's Bazar

Experience of Breastfeeding Mothers in Providing Exclusive Breastfeeding in Lambangsari Village, Bojonegara District

Breast milk can provide a better life for babies, breast milk will protect babies from various types of diseases or viruses. Information on the coverage of infants aged less than 6 months who receive exclusive breastfeeding in Banten Province in 2020 is 68.84%. However, this data has not been able to reach the government program target of 80%. The purpose of this study was to find out the experiences of breastfeeding mothers in providing exclusive breastfeeding in Lambangsari Village, Kec. Bojonegara. The design of this research is analytic observational research. Researchers observed and looked for the relationship between the variables of husband's support, support from health workers and knowledge, to exclusive breastfeeding. The research approach used in this study is cross-sectional. The population in this study were breastfeeding mothers who had babies aged 6-12 months in Lambangsari Village, Bojonegara District, totaling 424 people. The required sample is 81 respondents. The sampling technique for respondents used a simple random sampling technique. The instrument in this study was to use a questionnaire. Researchers used the Chi Square test with a confidence level of 95% or a significance level of 5%. The research results show that the P value of husband's support = 0.021; P value Support of health workers = 0.000; and P value of knowledge = 0.000, the conclusion is that p value &lt; (0.05) so there is a relationship between husband support, health workers and knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding in Lambangsari Village, Bojonegara District.

Effect of a Nutrition Education Intervention on Mothers’ Infant and Young Child Feeding Knowledge and Practices in the Peri-Urban Areas of Bobo-Dioulasso: Before and after Study

Background: This study assessed the effect of a nutrition education intervention aiming to improve the knowledge and practices of under 5 years children’s mothers on infant and young child feeding in peri urban areas of Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso. Methods: A total of 243 mothers of children under 5 years in the peri-urban of Bobo-Dioulasso were surveyed before and after the intervention using the FAO questionnaire for infant and young child feeding (IYCF) knowledge and practices assessment in January and October 2017. The intervention included two components consisting of a theoretical phase (counselling and discussion) and cooking demonstrations implemented for ten months. To account for the before-and-after design of the study, the McNemar’s test was used to assess the effect of the intervention on mothers’ infant and young child feeding knowledge and practices. Results: The mean age of mothers was 29 ± 6.2 years and 50.6% of the mothers were between 20 and 29 years old. All indicators used to assess the mothers’ knowledge of breastfeeding and complementary feeding significantly improved after the intervention (all p-values Conclusion: The intervention improved the mothers’ knowledge on breastfeeding and complementary feeding and some child feeding practices. This study provided some evidence of an effective nutrition education intervention to increase maternal knowledge and practices.

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after birth: A cross-sectional study in health care centers in Khartoum, Sudan

Background: Encouraging exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practices for the first 6 months of life is the most effective intervention for lowering childhood morbidity and death. However, compliance with breastfeeding recommendations is lacking in many developing countries. Thus, this study aimed to analyze mothers’ breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and practices, as well as factors that impact EBF at 6 months. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted on 128 mothers who came for children’s vaccination at primary health care centers using a structured questionnaire in form of dichotomous, multiple choice, and open and scaling questions. Results: Of all mothers, 80.5% previously received information about breastfeeding. Of them, 38 (29.7%) initiated breastfeeding within 1 hour of delivery. Of the participants, &lt;50% knew (46.1% and 44.5%, respectively) about breastfeeding, and 92.2% of mothers (118) had a negative view of EBF. The length of EBF for 1–2 months, 3–4 months, and 5–6 months were 3.9%, 82.8%, and 13.3%, respectively. Other foods are introduced before 6 months of age because of insufficient breast milk (15.6%) and the mother has work (11.7%). Conclusion: EBF for up to 6 months was not recommended despite the high percentage of mothers who initiated breastfeeding right after birth or within a few hours. Sustained health and community-based nutritional education are recommended for pregnant and lactating mothers to promote optimal breastfeeding for the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding practices. More counseling and support are needed for working mothers. Key words: exclusive breastfeeding, first six months, Khartoum, Sudan

Knowledge of breastfeeding and human milk banks amongst mothers at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital: A descriptive study

Knowledge of breastfeeding and human milk banks amongst mothers at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital: A descriptive study

Breast Milk and Breastfeeding Knowledge among Reproductive-Age Women at a Family Health Center

Breast Milk and Breastfeeding Knowledge among Reproductive-Age Women at a Family Health Center

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of breastfeeding and weaning among mothers of children under 2 years of age in a village in Assiut Governorate, Egypt

AimThis study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of mothers of infants and young children (0–23 months) in a rural area in Upper Egypt regarding breastfeeding (BF), complementary feeding, and weaning and to find the relation between knowledge and attitude of mothers and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practice.Subjects and methodsA crosssectional study was conducted on 308 rural mothers who attended the Rural Health Unit of Bany-Semaiae village, Abou-Teeg District, Assiut Governorate, seeking health care for themselves or for their children and accompanying a child aged less than 2 years.ResultsThe study revealed that most of the studied mothers knew that BF is the best nutritive source for the baby in the first 6 months and had good knowledge about the benefits of BF for child. Regarding weaning, most of the mothers defined weaning as BF cessation. Most of the mothers agreed that BF protects child from infection, 96.6% agreed that it is the best milk to child's health, 37% agreed that breast milk may alter body shape of the mother, and 31.5% agreed that BF should be stopped during mother's illness. Overall, 39.6% initiated BF immediately after delivery, and 74.4% of the mothers offered prelacteal feeds to baby in the first 3 days after delivery. Regarding knowledge level, 24.4% of mothers had good knowledge. Concerning mother's attitude toward feeding children, 70.1% of mothers had a positive attitude. EBF in the first 6 months was 44.2% and continued BF at 1 year was 60.6% of study children. It was found that mother's attitude level is significantly associated with EBF but not associated with knowledge level.ConclusionThe study concluded that mothers' feeding practice of their children was less satisfactory, and there is a need for enhancing EBF through launching health education campaigns targeting the concerned mothers and their families.

Knowledge, perception and acceptability of breastfeeding and bottle feeding among Saudi population.

Despite the enormous benefits of breastfeeding (BF), its prevalence is suboptimal, with exclusive BF ranging between 7.3 % and 51% in the Saudi community. The aim of this study was to assess the Saudi community's knowledge regarding BF, exposure to BF promotional messages and formula milk advertisements and acceptability of BF in public places. It was a cross-sectional study that included Saudis aged 20-55 years old between December 2019 and June 2020. It utilised a self-administered questionnaire, which asked about background information, knowledge of BF, exposure to BF-promoting messages and exposure to formula milk advertisements and acceptability of BF versus bottle feeding in public. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS v. 22). For the analysis, a p-value <0.05 was considered significant. The sample included for analysis was 914. The mean age of participants was 33.8 ± 9 years. The majority of participants were female 823 (90%); males 87 (10%). The vast majority (94%) agreed that breast milk is more beneficial than formula milk. Nearly two-thirds (61%) were continuously exposed to messages advertising formula feeding, compared to only 35% who were exposed to messages promoting BF. The study found that 67.2% accept BF in public places. Among male participants, only 49% accepted BF in public places compared to 79% of female participants who accepted it; p-value <0.001. Acceptability of BF in public places was significantly higher among participants who had family members who breastfed (68%), compared to those who did not (50%), (p-value 0.01).

Mothers' knowledge and attitudes towards breastfeeding in Thi-Qar City, Iraq

Objective: To assess mothers' attitudes and knowledge about breast feeding in Thi-Qar City, Iraq. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Hospital in Nasiriyah from January to February 2023 and included 192 mothers. United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)-adapted questionnaire was used. Socio-demographic information was recorded. The mother's viewpoint and intellectual capacity regarding breast feeding were assessed and their general opinions toward breast feeding were evaluated. Results: Out of 192 mothers, 103 (53.6%) were between the ages of 18 and 20. Most 87 (45.31) had completed elementary school and had a higher education; 79.17 percent of the sample lived in an urban area; and around half of the mothers were unemployed. The mothers had good knowledge of breast feeding and their attitude towards breast feeding was good. Conclusion: This study concluded that early mothers' knowledge of and attitudes toward Breast feeding were generally excellent at AL Hussein Teaching Hospital in Nasiriya city, and that these factors were crucial in determining the health of the children.

Barriers of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers attending primary health-care centers in Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) describes infants who were only breastfed for 6 months. Many Saudi mothers have suboptimal breastfeeding practices. Therefore, this study aims to assess breastfeeding knowledge and determine barriers to EBF among mothers attending primary health care centers in Jazan City. A descriptive cross-sectional study was done that included all mothers attending the PHC centers. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Most study participants understand breastfeeding's health benefits for babies and mothers, but most believe that synthetic milk is the best alternative for working mothers to feed their babies. A percentage of 66.7 of mothers practiced breastfeeding during the first 6 months of the child's life. EBF shows a significant relationship with knowledge and barriers. Sixty percent of mothers have never had any information about breastfeeding; the primary source was from their mothers and only 31.4% from hospital staff. Most respondents disagreed with statements of barriers to EBF, which elicits an unexpected response. Most participants have good knowledge concerning breastfeeding benefits for both mother and infant and disagreed on the mentioned barriers for EBF that include lack of breastmilk, deficiency of information, and working conditions.