Exclusive Breastfeeding Research Articles

A Comprehensive Examination of Exclusive Breastfeeding Through Quranic and Hadith Perspectives Alongside Scientific Insights

A Comprehensive Examination of Exclusive Breastfeeding Through Quranic and Hadith Perspectives Alongside Scientific Insights

The prevalence of atopic dermatitis and the effect of breastfeeding on atopic dermatitis among Saudi infants aged up to six months in the Al Madinah region

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin condition in infants, and breastfeeding has been proposed as a potential protective factor. The study aims to investigate the prevalence of AD in infants based on guardians' reports and the impact of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and formula feeding on the incidence of AD among Saudi infants in the Al Madinah region. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 200 mothers with infants was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Data collected included demographics, breastfeeding practices, infant characteristics, allergies, and AD diagnosis. Statistical analysis employed chi-square. Results: There were a total of 200 infants, out of which 145 (72.5%) had AD, as confirmed by pediatricians. Gender was significantly associated with the prevalence of AD. Based on their nutritional source, 62 (42.8%) were on EBF, and 83 (57.2%) were non-EBF. Infant nutrition was found to be significantly associated with the hospitalization time of infants because of AD. Other AD risk factors, such as parental allergies, feeding frequencies, and frequency of AD episodes, were not significantly associated with the type of feeding. Conclusions: This study found that AD is quite prevalent in the Al Madinah region of Saudi Arabia. AD was more prevalent in male infants than in females. It suggests that EBF may be a protective factor against hospitalization of Saudi infants because of AD.

Effect of maternal postnatal balanced energy protein supplementation and infant azithromycin on infant growth outcomes: an open-label randomized controlled trial

BackgroundMaternal undernutrition is a direct risk factor for infant growth faltering. ObjectivesWe evaluated the effect of postnatal balanced energy protein (BEP) supplementation in lactating women and azithromycin (AZ) in infants on infant growth outcomes. MethodsA randomized controlled superiority trial of lactating mother–newborn dyads was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan. Mothers intending to breastfeed their newborns with mid-upper arm circumference of <23 cm and live infants between 0 and 6 d of life were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 arms in a 1:1:1 ratio. Lactating mothers in the control arm received standard-of-care counseling on exclusive breastfeeding, nutrition, infant immunization, and health promotion plus iron-folate supplementation until the infant was 6 mo old. In intervention arm 1, mothers additionally received two 75-g sachets of BEP per day. In intervention arm 2, along with the standard-of-care and BEP to the mother, the infant also received 1 dose of azithromycin (20 mg/kg) at the age of 42 d . The primary outcome was infant length velocity at 6 mo. The total sample size was 957 (319 in each arm). ResultsFrom 1 August, 2018 to 19 May, 2020, 319 lactating mother–newborn dyads were randomly assigned in each arm, and the last follow-up was completed on 20 November, 2020. The mean difference in length velocity (cm/mo) between BEP alone and control was 0.01 (95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.03, 0.06), BEP plus AZ and control was 0.08 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.13), and between BEP + AZ and BEP alone was 0.06 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.11). There were 1.46% (14/957) infant deaths in the trial, and 17.9% (171/957) nonfatal events (injectable treatment and/or hospitalizations) were recorded. ConclusionsPostnatal maternal BEP supplementation and infant AZ administration could modestly improve infant growth outcomes at 6 mo, suggesting potential benefits in simultaneously addressing maternal and infant undernutrition.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03564652.

Examining the different pathways to stunting among children under five years old in a low-middle income country

Stunting is a multi-cause growth failure affecting the growth and development of children. The Government of Indonesia is implementing a National Strategy to Accelerate Stunting Prevention in order to ensure that it targets all individuals including those in the critical period of "the first 1000 days of life" —those with pregnant women or children under the age of two —can access the full package program of services essential to stunting prevention. Indonesia has successfully reduced stunting prevalence, by about 6.4% during 5 years between 2013 and 2018. The present study focused on analyzing the pathway of possible factors affecting stunting, among children under five based on national data from the 2013 and 2018 Indonesia Basic Health Surveys (IBHS). The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to identify the different pathways affecting stunting in the two data sets. This study found the different pathway within the data from the 2013 and 2018 IBHS. Stunting was significantly affected by birth size (T value=9.78) (low weight and length birth), as well as, the disease factors (T=2.48) in 2013, but only birth size (T=8.75) in 2018. In 2013, socio-economic factors affected stunting indirectly (T=1.497) through maternal factors (T=13.86) that influence disease (T=5.235) via exclusive breastfeeding (T=3.531). This study found that, Low Birth Weight (LBW) babies were two to three times more likely to be stunted children. Click or tap here to enter text. Overall, the stunting prevalence across regions in Indonesia demonstrated a decreasing trend from 2013 (38.4%) and reached lower in 2018 (33.9%). The 2013 IBHS showed an indirect effect of socioeconomic factors on stunting through the pathways of maternal factors, breastfeeding practices, and disease. This indirect effect was not found in the 2018 IBHS. There were different pathways of factors affecting stunting between the two datasets of the 2013 and 2018 basic health survey, but the consistent factor is the birth size (birth weight and length). Birth size is the most important determinant of stunting in Indonesia and must be prioritized and addressed immediately. Key words: stunting, children health, path analysis, risk factor, developing country

Effects of Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration on Pneumonia Occurrence and Course in Infants Up to 6 Months of Age: A Case-Control Study

ABSTRACT We aimed to analyze the effects of exclusive breastfeeding duration on the occurrence and course of pneumonia in infants aged up to 6 months. Prospective case-control study. This study was conducted from August 2020 to August 2022 at a maternity and child health hospital in China. A total of 218 infants up to 6 months of age with pneumonia were included in the analyses. Health data were obtained using a hospitalization information system or an interview-based questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the data. The incidence of pneumonia, hospitalization duration, and costs to participants were significantly affected by the duration of exclusive breastfeeding (p < 0.01). The incidence of pneumonia among participants with different exclusive breastfeeding durations also differed significantly (p < 0.01). The shorter the duration of exclusive breastfeeding, the higher the incidence of pneumonia among infants. We found that the longer the exclusive breastfeeding duration in infants up to 6 months of age, the lower the recurrence of pneumonia, the shorter the hospital stay, and the lower the hospital costs. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding for infants up to 6 months of age should be increased as much as possible to reduce the occurrence of pneumonia and hospital costs.

Breastfeeding and behavioral problems in five-year-old Japanese children: The Kyushu Okinawa Maternal and Child Health Study

PurposeThis prebirth cohort study examined the relationship between breastfeeding duration and behavioral problems in five-year-old Japanese children. MethodsStudy subjects were 1198 mother–child pairs. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Emotional, conduct, hyperactivity, and peer problems and low prosocial behavior were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). ResultsNeither exclusive breastfeeding duration nor breastfeeding duration regardless of exclusivity was significantly associated with childhood emotional, conduct, hyperactivity, or peer problems or low prosocial behavior. In children with older siblings only, ≥ 4 months of exclusive breastfeeding was significantly inversely associated with hyperactivity problems (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.57, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.31−0.99). In children without older siblings, ≥ 4 months of exclusive breastfeeding was inversely significantly associated with low prosocial behavior (adjusted OR = 0.54, 95 % CI: 0.30−0.93). No interactions were observed between exclusive breastfeeding duration and the presence of older siblings regarding the two outcomes. ConclusionsNo associations were found between breastfeeding duration and any of the outcomes based on the SDQ. Exclusive breastfeeding for ≥ 4 months may be inversely associated with hyperactivity problems in children with older siblings and with low prosocial behavior in children without older siblings.

Exclusive breastfeeding in Colombia: analysis of data on respiratory infections and acute diarrhoeal diseases

Introduction: Despite the fact that Colombia is the fourth country in the world with the highest concession of maternity leave days, it still does not cover what is defined as essential to reduce Respiratory Tract Infection (RTI) and Acute Diarrhoeal Disease (ADD) in infants. Objective: The objective of this research was to analyze indicators of respiratory infections and acute diarrheal diseases during exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in Colombia. Methodology: The management of solid research data at the institutional level used as instrument the LERU roadmap for health indicators in institutions attached to the Secretariat of Health of Bogota, based on the case study and matched controls 1: 2, from publications of the SaluData observatory, the Ten-Year Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding Plan- PDLMAC 2021-2030, as well as the registry book of infants between 0 to 5 months of age, taking as a focused sample the Hospital San Juan de Dios in Colombia, the detection of the occurrence of events that allow formulating a hypothesis in accordance with the variables: breastfeeding and maternity leave; respiratory infections and acute diarrheal diseases. Results: The findings show that there is an association between exclusive breastfeeding during maternity leave to reduce respiratory infections and acute diarrheal diseases in the hospitals attached to the Health Secretariat of Bogota. One in six children does not receive exclusive breastfeeding during maternity leave in Colombia. Conclusion: As implications, the public health strategies must be reconsidered to favor EBF and extend maternity leave times, complying with the 6-month goal defined by the World Health Organization.

The Impact Of Exclusive Breastfeeding Promotion On Increasing The Interest Of Pregnant Women In Exclusive Breastfeeding

Introduction: Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding is one of the important efforts to increase breastfeeding practices. However, the extent to which the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding affects the interest of pregnant women in providing exclusive breastfeeding still needs to be further examined. This study aims to conduct a systematic review of studies examining the impact of exclusive breastfeeding promotion on increasing the interest of pregnant women in providing exclusive breastfeeding. Materials &amp; Methods: Literature searches were conducted on electronic databases such as PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Articles that meet the inclusion criteria will be analyzed narratively. Results: The results of the systematic review show that comprehensive promotion of exclusive breastfeeding, including antenatal education, counseling, and postpartum support, significantly increases the interest and practice of pregnant women in providing exclusive breastfeeding. Factors such as the involvement of health workers, families, and the social environment also contribute to increasing maternal interest. Conclusions: Promotion of exclusive breastfeeding that is carried out comprehensively and integrated into the health care system has been proven effective in increasing the interest of pregnant women to provide exclusive breastfeeding. These interventions need to consider the local cultural, economic, and health system contexts.

A Correlation Study Of Breast Milk Production Among Indonesia Mother : The Role Of Baby Formula Milk Feeding History 0-6 Months Old

Background: Continuity of breastfeeding can be influenced by social support from other people who interact with the mother so that the mother can feel physical and psychological comfort. The purpose was correlation between history beginning giving formula milk with breast milk production in Soko Tuban and Kendawangan Ketapang. Method: Cross sectional approach, correlational analytical research method . The population was all mother who has baby aged 0-6 months a total of 9 1 respondents , the sample is 74 respondents , the author used a simple random sampling technique. Data analysis using the contingency coefficient test. Result: The results show that the majority or 66.2% of babies aged 0-6 months were given formula milk, and less than half or 33.8% of babies aged 0-6 months were not given formula milk, the majority or 60.8% of mothers' breast milk production was not smoothly, and less than part or 39.2% of the mother's breast milk production was smooth and of the 49 babies who were given formula milk, more than part of 44 people (59.5%) were in the category of non-smooth milk production, while of the 25 babies who were not given formula milk less than half in the smooth breast milk production category as many as 24 people (32.4%). Discussion: From these two variables, after being tested statistically using the Contingency Coefficient test, a significance value = 0.000 &lt; a(0.05) was obtained, which means that H 1 was accepted, so that there was a correlation between the initial history of giving formula milk and the mother's breast milk production with a strong level of correlation 0.639. Conlussion: Researchers advise the public, especially mothers who have babies aged 0-6 months, that families should take the time to search for information. and come to health workers in order to seek information about The importance of exclusive breastfeeding so that families can support breastfeeding mothers in providing exclusive breastfeeding .

Effects of Breastfeeding Promotion Intervention and Dietary Treatment in Postpartum Women with Overweight and Obesity: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial on Weight and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors

BackgroundChildbearing increases the risk of weight gain and cardiometabolic disease. The reset hypothesis suggests that lactation has protective cardiometabolic effects on the mother. The hypothesis is based on observational studies, and the possible interacting role of weight loss needs to be elucidated. ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the individual and interaction effects of a breastfeeding promotion intervention (BPI) and dietary intervention for weight loss postpartum (Diet) on body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors at 6 mo postpartum. MethodsPregnant women (n = 156) with a prepregnancy BMI of 25 to 35 kg/m2 were randomized to 4 groups in a 2 × 2 factorial design: BPI, Diet, both treatments, or no treatment. BPI consisted of individual counseling by a lactation consultant during pregnancy, at childbirth, and monthly thereafter or more frequently based on individual needs. Diet was initiated at 11 wk postpartum. Body weight, body composition, waist and hip circumferences, markers of lipid and glucose metabolism, and blood pressure were measured at 2 wk and 6 mo postpartum. We analyzed main and interaction effects using 2-way analysis of covariance adjusted for baseline values. ResultsAmong the participants attending both visits (n = 108), 99% practiced any breastfeeding at baseline and 97% at follow-up. The BPI did not affect rates of exclusive or partial breastfeeding, age at introduction of complementary foods, or have main effects on body weight or cardiometabolic risk factors. There was a main effect of Diet reducing body weight, fat mass, fat-free mass, percentage fat mass, waist and hip circumferences, fasting glucose, and insulin (all P ≤ 0.03), with no interactions between the treatments. ConclusionsThere were no effects of BPI on body weight or cardiometabolic risk factors at 6 mo postpartum. Diet caused weight loss and had favorable effects on risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03580057.

Overview Of Primipara Mother's Knowledge About ASI Storage In TPMB Nanik Kediri District

Background: Breastfeeding is one of the contributions to the health, growth and development of newborns, infants and children. Based on WHO data, coverage of exclusive breastfeeding will decrease in 2022 compared to 2021. This condition is caused by a lack of knowledge about good and correct management of breast milk, especially breast milk storage. The aim of this research is to determine the description of Primiparous Mothers' knowledge about breast milk storage. Method: The research design used a descriptive cross-sectional approach, the research sample was 20 primiparous mothers in the TPMB Nanik Tulungrejo Village, Pare District, Kediri Regency. The variable studied was knowledge about breast milk storage. Data was collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using frequency distribution tables and cross tabulation. Result: The research results obtained from 20 respondents and showed that the majority were well-informed mothers (45%), exclusively breastfeeding mothers (65%). The results of the overall data analysis can be concluded that there is a picture of primiparous mothers' knowledge about storing breast milk. Conclusion: Breastfeeding mothers need support from family and society so they need information according to their level of education and knowledge, or to facilitate understanding of the importance of storing breast milk correctly and appropriately.

The Relationship Between Exclusive Breastfeeding History And The Incidence If Stunting In Children Aged 24-59 Months In Kuta Baro District, Aceh Besar Regency

Introductions: The high incidence of stunting in Indonesia is caused by various factors, one of which is Exclusive Breastfeeding. Based on data from 2020, 22% or around 149.2 million under-five children in the world experienced stunting. The WHO has set a target for stunting reduction of 20%. According to data from the Aceh health profile in 2022, the stunting rate among under-five children in Aceh Besar was 32.4%. Research Objective: To determine the relationship between the history of Exclusive Breastfeeding and the incidence of stunting in children aged 24-59 months in Kuta Baro District, Aceh Besar Regency in 2023. Research Method: This research used an observational analytic design with a retrospective cohort approach. The sample in this study was children aged 24-59 months, taken based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Research Results: The results of the research analysis showed a relationship between the history of Exclusive Breastfeeding and the incidence of stunting, with a p-value of 0.01 (α&lt;0.05) and an OR of 0.285 in Kuta Baro District, Aceh Besar Regency. Conclusion: Exclusive Breastfeeding has a relationship with the incidence of stunting in children aged 24-59 months.

PENGARUH PENDIDIKAN KESEHATAN MENGGUNAKAN AUDIO VISUAL TERHADAP PERILAKU IBU POSTPARTUM DALAM MANAJEMEN LAKTASI

Introduction: The low coverage of breastfeeding, especially exclusive breastfeeding, is caused by several factors including the low knowledge of mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding and proper breastfeeding methods, lack of lactation counseling services, lack of support from health workers, socio-cultural perceptions against breastfeeding, working mothers and Formula milk marketing influences the thinking of mothers and health workers. Method: This study uses a quantitative approach, the method used in this study is a quasi-experimental with the type of one-group pre test design.. Results: the Wilcoxon signed ranks test showed that there were significant differences before and after the intervention was carried out on the two dependent variables with p-value = 0.001. This shows that there is a significant influence between the Effect of Health Education Using Audio Visual Media on the Behavior of Postpartum Mothers in Lactation Management. Discussion: Providing audio-visual education on the behavior of postpartum mothers in lactation management is one of the efforts to increase the coverage of exclusive breastfeeding and reduce morbidity (illness) rates in infants. Keywords: health education, audio visual, knowledge, attitude, lactation management

Impact of Suaahara, an at-scale multisectoral nutrition programme, on health workers' maternal and child health, and nutrition knowledge and skills in Nepal.

Suaahara, an at-scale multisectoral nutrition programme in Nepal, aimed to advance knowledge and skills of frontline health workers to improve the quality of nutrition and health services at health facility and community levels. This study assessed the impact of Suaahara interventions on knowledge and skills of health facility workers and Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs). The study used a quasi-experimental design in which four Suaahara intervention districts were compared with pair-matched comparison districts. One health facility worker and three FCHVs from each survey cluster were included. Baseline survey consisted of 93 health facility workers (2015) and 118 FCHVs (2012), and endline survey (2022) consisted of 40 health facility workers and 120 FCHVs. Difference-in-differences regression models employing intent-to-treat analysis, accounting for clustering at the district level, assessed the impact of intervention. The intervention, relative to comparison, had no effect on health facility workers' knowledge. There was a positive effect, however, on FCHVs' knowledge in intervention relative to comparison areas on exclusive breastfeeding, timing of introduction of complementary feeding, sick child feeding and growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) for children under 2 years. Health facility workers and FCHVs in intervention versus comparison districts had higher endline scores for skills related to measuring the weight of children and pregnant women, measuring the height/length of children, conducting GMP for children under 2 years and identifying malnourished children. Suaahara interventions improved the capacity of health workers, particularly nutrition-related knowledge among FCHVs and GMP-related skills of both health facility workers and FCHVs.

Evaluation of Exclusive Breastfeeding Practices among Mothers of Children Aged 0 to 59 Months in the Rural Commune of Sinder, Tillabery, Niger

Feeding practices play a major role in the nutritional status of children (WHO/UNICEF, 2009). The objective of this study was to evaluate the practice of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers of children aged 0 to 59 months in the rural commune of Sinder. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study, which involved a representative and random sample of mothers of children aged 0 to 59 months. A questionnaire was completed through a structured interview. The data were collected with ODK software then analyzed with SPSS and Epi Info version 7.2 software. A total of 250 mother/child couples were enrolled. About 58% of newborns receive breast milk as their first food and 42% received pre-lacteal fluids. The majority of children are put to the breast early, including 55.2% immediately after birth and 34.4% within the next 24 hours, but 10.4% wait more than 24 hours. 66.4% of mothers say they have been made aware of EBF practices by health workers and 33.6% by those close to the mother. Around 37% of mothers say they do not believe in the nutritional and health benefits of EBF. Only 44% of infants receive EBF up to 6 months. The average duration of EBF is 4.4± 2.77 months. Among children receiving other foods in addition to breast milk before their sixth month, 56% receive water, 32.8% receive a herbal decoction, 45.6% take family meals, 50.4% drink the porridge. The practice of EBF in the rural commune of Sinder is suboptimal.

Breastfeeding Efficacy among Primiparous Mothers: A Survey from Lahore

Background: Breastfeeding is the natural process of infant feeding on milk produced by mothers. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding until at least 24 months to support optimal growth. A mother’s belief in her ability to breastfeed, known as breastfeeding self-efficacy, significantly impacts her breastfeeding experience and success. Objective: To determine the level of breastfeeding self-efficacy among primiparous mothers in Lahore. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over six months, from June 2023 to December 2023, in various hospital settings. Data were collected from 150 primiparous mothers selected through nonprobability convenient sampling. Inclusion criteria were primiparous mothers aged 20 to 35 years who had been breastfeeding for at least three months. Exclusion criteria included mothers with a history of cancer or hepatitis and those unable to provide informed consent. The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF) was used to collect data, which was then entered and analyzed using SPSS version 25. BSES-SF is a 14-item self-administered questionnaire with a 5-point rating scale, where a score of 1 indicates “no confidence at all” and a score of 5 represents “very confident.” Total scores range from 14 to 70, with higher scores reflecting higher self-efficacy. Scores were categorized into low (14-33), medium (33-53), and high (53-70) self-efficacy. Results: Out of 150 primiparous mothers, 4 (2.7%) had low breastfeeding self-efficacy, 93 (62.0%) had medium self-efficacy, and 53 (35.3%) had high self-efficacy. The age of participants ranged from 20 to 34 years, with a mean age of 25.02 years (SD = 3.18). Education levels were 42.2% intermediate, 32.7% undergraduate, and 24.7% postgraduate. Employment status showed 27.0% employed and 73.0% unemployed. Conclusion: The majority of primiparous mothers reported a moderate level of breastfeeding self-efficacy. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to enhance breastfeeding confidence among new mothers.

Nutritional counselling and risk factors for obesity: an observational study in toddlers

BackgroundNutrition exerts a fundamental role in the prevention of obesity (OB). The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which well recognized risk factors for early OB can be associated to overweight (OW) or OB under a standardized nutritional approach and surveillance in toddlers.MethodsThe eligible population was represented by 676 toddlers aged 24–36 months, assigned to 18 primary care pediatricians trained on nutritional issues who shared a standardized nutritional approach. Six-hundred-twenty-nine children (333 boys), mean age 27.8 ± 4.2 months were effectively included in this observational study. Parents received nutritional advice with particular emphasis to proteins and sugar composition supported by leaflets and reinforced at each visit. Body mass index was assessed at the age of 24–36 months. The following individual and family risk factors were considered: gestational age, birth weight, eutocic/caesarean delivery, milk feeding history, household smoking or antibiotics exposure, parents’ weight, height and educational level. Prevalence of OW/OB was compared to a group of 742 toddlers (373 boys) under usual care.ResultsUnder a standardized nutritional counselling, 28.1% toddlers were classified as OW/OB compared to 36.9% toddlers under usual care (p = 0.005). In unadjusted models, parental OW/OB was significantly associated to OW/OB in toddlers (p < 0.01), while high birth weight did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.07). In adjusted models, including all the explanatory variables studied, only paternal OW/OB vs. normal weight was significantly associated to OW/OB in toddlers (OR 2.035, 95% confidence interval 1.206–3.436). No protective effect of exclusive breast feeding during the first 6 months of age was demonstrated.ConclusionsToddlers under a standardized nutrition counselling focused to limit protein and simple sugars, showed lower prevalence of OW/OB compared to usual care. Healthy promotion activities should take into account the influence of paternal BMI on the offspring adiposity.

Evaluating the role that Care Groups play in providing breastfeeding and infant feeding support at community level: a qualitative study in Dedza district in Malawi

Background Promoting exclusive breastfeeding is a key nutrition policy objective in Malawi. This study assesses the role that Care Group Volunteers (CGVs) play in providing breastfeeding and infant feeding support at community level. Care Groups are a peer-to-peer learning approach, which has been part of Malawi’s nutrition policy since 2012, its role within community-level nutrition support remains under-researched. Methods In July 2021, we conducted 60 qualitative semi structured interviews in Dedza District with village leaders, Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs), CGVs and district health officials, mothers with at least one child under two (n=36) who were purposively selected. All interviews were recorded, transcribed and translated into English and then analysed using qualitative data analysis software. Thematic analysis was used to elicit key themes. Results Only eight out of 36 women reported receiving breastfeeding support from care groups. All mothers reported receiving breastfeeding support at the health facility where they delivered their baby(ies) and some (n=24) also at ante-natal care clinics. In total, 18 interviewees reported interacting with the Care Groups, mostly during cooking demonstrations or receiving home visits. Little interaction was observed by interviewees between HSAs and CGVs and no evidence suggested coordination between HSAs and CGVs around (vulnerable) newborn baby visits, as described by one HSA. Conclusions This research shows that Care Groups, despite being well-known, remain an under-appreciated and un-integrated volunteer cadre. Policy reform in relation to Care Groups in Malawi is needed to improve volunteer engagement regarding breastfeeding and overall support of newborns and vulnerable infants.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Maternal Intentions in Exclusive Breastfeeding of Infants in The Perinatology

Introduction: Breast milk is the main source of nutrition in infants 0-6 months. The behavior of the mother in exclusively breastfeeding is influenced by the intentions possessed by the mother, especially in babies in perinatology. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence the mother's intention in exclusive breastfeeding of infants treated in perinatology. Methods: The method used is cross-sectional with a non-probability sampling technique with total sampling within 1 month of as many as 54 responders. Data analysis using Chi-Square Test and multiple logistic regression. Results: The results showed a significant relationship between maternalknowledge (p = 0.000) and husband support (p = 0.001). Meanwhile, family support (p = 0.114) and nurse support (p = 0.924) were not related to the mother's intention to provideexclusive breastfeeding. The results of multiple logistic regression tests found that the dominant factor that influenced the mother's intention to exclusively breastfeed was husband support (OR=9,754). Conclusion: Husband support is the most dominant factor in influencing the mother's intention to exclusively breastfeed the baby treated in perinatology. Husband support consists of instrumental, informational, judgmental, and emotional support. In this study, the husband was able to provide emotional and instrumental support, for other support still needs to be improved. It is recommended that efforts be made to increase the role of husbands in motivating mothers to provide exclusive breastfeeding, health workers are required to provide health education about the importance of husband's support in providing exclusive breastfeeding.

Penyuluhan Kontrasepsi Metode Amenorea Laktasi (MAL) Guna Meningkatkan Pengetahuan Ibu Nifas

The population density in Indonesia is increasing rapidly, with many breastfeeding mothers delaying the use of contraception due to concerns about interfering with the breastfeeding process for their infants. Contraception is commonly used by mothers after giving birth to space future births; there are many contraceptive options available depending on a mother's knowledge and beliefs in selecting a method. Exclusive breastfeeding serves as a reasonably effective temporary contraceptive method as long as the mother has not menstruated and the infant is less than six months old. The effectiveness of the Lactational Amenorrhea Method reaches 98% for mothers exclusively breastfeeding. The purpose of this outreach is to provide information about the Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM). The methods used in this community outreach begin with introductions of the speakers, followed by education on health information, a question and answer session with participants, and closing remarks. This program aims to enable postpartum breastfeeding mothers to utilize LAM as a contraceptive method. The intended outputs of this activity include: Scientific publications in journals with ISSN numbers/Proceedings, video recordings of the activity, improved knowledge and skills of postpartum mothers, and improved community health).