Prevalence of Exclusive Breastfeeding Practices and associated factors among mothers in Bahir Dar city, Northwest Ethiopia: a community based cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundBreastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants. World Health Organization (WHO) recommend exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for six months which has a great contribution in reducing under five mortality, which otherwise leads to death of 88/1000 live birth yearly in Ethiopia. Hence, this study aimed to assess prevalence of EBF and associated factors in mothers in the city of Bahir Dar, Northwest Ethiopia.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 10 to 25 June 2012 among mothers who delivered 12 months earlier in Bahir Dar city, Northwest Ethiopia. A cluster sampling technique was used to select a sample of 819 participants. Data were collected using a structured and pre-tested questionnaire by face-to-face interview technique. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to check associations and control confounding.ResultsOf 819 mother-infant pairs sampled, the overall age appropriate rate of EBF practice was found to be 50.3%. Having a young infant aged 0-1 month (AOR = 3.77, 95% CI = 1.54, 9.24) and 2-3 months (AOR = 2.80, 95% CI = 1.71, 4.58), being a housewife (AOR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.48, 3.16), having prenatal EBF plan (AOR = 3.75, 95% CI = 2.21, 6.37), delivering at a health facility (AOR = 3.02, 95% CI = 1.55, 5.89), giving birth vaginally (AOR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.40, 3.87) and receiving infant feeding counseling/advice (AOR = 5.20, 95% CI = 2.13, 12.68) were found to be significantly associated with EBF practice.ConclusionPrevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was low in Bahir Dar. Strengthening infant feeding advice/counseling both at the community and institutional levels, promoting institutional delivery, providing adequate pain relief and early assistance for mothers who gave birth by caesarean section, and enabling every mother a prenatal EBF plan during antenatal care were recommended in order to increase the proportion of women practicing EBF.

The Practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding and Its Sociodemographic Determinants amongst Nursing Mothers at a Tertiary Health Care Institution in South East, Nigeria

“…Hence, without work or school constraints, they are able to provide breast milk as often as the child wants at any time of the day or night. In support of this, studies by Asma et al [22] and Seid et al [26] observed a decreased exclusive breastfeeding rate among working mothers and an association of exclusive breastfeeding with nursing mothers that were housewives respectively. On the contrary, Alemayehu et al [25] reported no association of exclusive breastfeeding with maternal employment.…”

Práticas educativas segundo os “Dez passos para o sucesso do aleitamento materno” em um Banco de Leite Humano

“…Estes visam à promoção do aleitamento materno e incremento do conhecimento das mulheres durante a gestação 15,16 .…”

“…Webb-Girard et al 22 comentam que, entre as populações pobres, ainda persistem diferenças marcantes quanto ao acesso e qualidade da orientação alimentar e nutricional prestada pelos profissionais de saúde, em que as crianças são submetidas a regimes alimentares marcados pelo oferecimento precoce de alimentos complementares. Ademais, outros autores ressaltam a necessidade do trabalho materno fora de casa, devido à insegurança financeira, corroborando os resultados do presente artigo, o qual demonstrou maior risco de interrupção do AM sob livre demanda entre mães que trabalhavam fora do lar e que residiam na região metropolitana 15,19,20 .…”

Levels and Predictors of Exclusive Breast Feeding among Rural Mothers with Children Age 0-12 Months in Rural Kebeles of Chencha District, Snnpr, Gamo Gofa Zone, Ethio-pia, January 2016

“…The study conducted in Bahir Dar revealed that, Being a housewife, a young infant age, having a prenatal EBF plan, delivering at a health institution, delivering vaginally, receiving counseling, belief of breast milk sufficiency and maternal age of 18-23 were independently predictors of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers (30).…”