Affiliation

¹Department of Midwifery, Collage of Medicine and Health Sciences, Adigrat University, Adigrat, Ethiopia

²Department of Women’s and Family Health, School of Midwifery, Collage of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar ,Gondar, Ethiopia

³Departement of Biomedical science, Collage of Medicine and Health Sciences, Adigrat University, Adigrat, Ethiopia

Corresponding Author

Maezu G Slassie, Department of Midwifery, Collage of Medicine and Health Sciences, Adigrat University, Adigrat, Ethiopia, E-mail: maeza4gebre@gmail.com

Citation

Slassie, M.G., et al. Timely Initiation of Breast Feeding and Its Predictors among Northern Ethiopia Women having Children Less than Six Months Age ; A Community Based Cross Sectional Study. (2021) J Food Nutr Sci 8(1): 9-16.

Copy rights

© 2021 Slassie, M.G. This is an Open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords

Timely initiation of breast feeding; Early initiation of breast feeding; Prevalence; Associated factors; Predictors; Mothers having children less than six months age; Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Timely initiation of breastfeeding or early initiation is the start breast feeding immediately or within one hour of after delivery. Breastfeeding is one of the primary health care components and almost universal practice in both urban and rural parts of Ethiopia. However, there is no well documented study of factors associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding in the study area. Therefore the aim of this study was to assess factors for timely initiation of breastfeeding in rural communities of Gozamen district. Methods: A community -based cross-sectional study was conducted among seven hundred forty-one (741) mothers having children less than six months age in Gozamen district from August 1 to September 12 /2019. Stratified cluster sampling technique was used to select study participants. Data were collected by face to face interviewer-administered, pretested and semi-structured questionnaires. Descriptive analysis, bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression model were employed. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to identify factors associated with timely initiation of breast feeding. Results: In this study the prevalence of timely initiation of breast feeding was found to be 60.9% with 95% CI [57.5, 64.2]. Mothers who had no antenatal follow up [AOR:0.32, CI; 0.60] ,those mothers who did not discard colostrum [AOR: 2.31, CI; 1.12,4.78], respondents who did not gave prelacteal feeding [AOR: 3.14, CI; 1.64, 6.03] ,mothers who had counseled on breast feeding at post natal care [AOR:2.69 CI; 1.75, 4.15] , mothers who did not participate on pregnant women forum [AOR: 0.38 CI; 0.24, 0.61] were statically significant factors associated with timely initiation of breast feeding. Conclusions: This study concluded that timely initiation of breast feeding was relatively low in the study area .To increase timely initiation of breast feeding strengthening infant feeding counseling , encourage mothers to avoid prelacteal feeding and discarding of colostrum to their child and health education and awarenes creation of the communities are recommended interventions.