Factors associated with knowledge and practice of optimal breastfeeding among mothers in Dubai

Abstract

Although breastfeeding has been the primary source of nutrition for infants, many women do not choose to practise breastfeeding due to lack of knowledge, inability to do so or personal choices. This study aimed at determining the breastfeeding practices and examining the sociodemographic factors associated with optimal breastfeeding among mothers attending child welfare clinic at Dubai Health Authority. A structured questionnaire was designed consisting of sociodemographic data, knowledge, attitude and practice towards breastfeeding. The main reasons for not breastfeeding the baby within 30 min after delivery were having had a caesarean section, followed by separation of the baby from the mother. We found better practice among homemakers, non-United Arab Emirates (UAE) and married women, those with less monthly income, and those with standard delivery.There is a need for better education on optimal breastfeeding, especially in UAE national pregnant women, who have had caesarean sections, or having babies admitted in the intensive care unit.

Mothers' awareness regarding cleft palate and their infants' feeding pattern

“…These results agreed with Neela et al [18] , and Pereira et al, [19] who investigated the association of cleft lip and palate in people born to consanguineous parents and found that a minority had a family history of cleft lip or palate which is consistent within his study about associated malformations of orofacial clefts who revealed that less than quarter of studied children has a positive family history of cleft lip or palate without associated malformations. On the other hand, the results of the current study disagreed with Omar et al [20] in a study about the influence of consanguinity on familial clefting among Palestinians who found that more than half of children with cleft palate had a positive family ~ 5 ~ history of clefting.…”

Breastfeeding Practices and Associated Factors among Immigrant Muslim Arab Women Living in a Metropolitan Area of the Southwest of United States

“…Studies reported longer duration of breastfeeding in Arab countries. 13,22,26 The key identified reasons for discontinuing breastfeeding were not enough breast milk and that the child was still hungry after breastfeeding. Perceived insufficient milk supply is the most common reason for women to stop breastfeeding.…”

“…[6][7][8][9][10] Although Muslim Arab mothers are motivated to breastfeed from religious teaching, they often lack the knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding practices or hold cultural myths that hinder successful breastfeeding. [11][12][13] For example, prelacteal feeding (eg, water, sugar water, salt solution, crushed dates, artificial milk, animal milk, yogurt, gripe water, herbal tea, and black tea) is given for the first three days after delivery based on the belief that it cleanses the bowels of the newborn until the mother produces "white" milk. 12,14,15 Prelacteal feeding interferes with exclusive breastfeeding and makes breastfeeding more difficult to establish.…”

Breastfeeding-oriented education for parturients separated from their hospitalized infants: a qualitative study of nurses’ perspectives in Shanghai, China

“…Other than personal choices, many mothers don’t practice BF due to a lack of knowledge or incapability to do so [ 37 ]. Inability to express human milk proves to be one of the major factors affecting BF in early postnatal period [ 38 ].…”