Optimal Breast Feeding Practice and Associated Factors among Mothers of Children aged 6-23 months in Dandi District, West Shewa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Optimal feeding of infants and young children means exclusive breastfeeding from birth to about six months, followed by an introduction of complementary foods drawn from the local diet at about six months. However, the status of optimum breastfeeding practice in low-income countries like Ethiopia varies from place to place. The aim of this study was to assess optimum breastfeeding practice and associated factors among mothers of children aged 6-23 months in the study area. The study was conducted at Ginchi Town, Dandi District, West Shoa Zone Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June 1-10, 2018 G.C. Systematic random sampling followed by a Simple random sampling technique was used to reach a study subject. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were coded and entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 21 for further analyses. Binary logistic regression was used to check the association between dependent and independent variables. In multivariate logistic regression, those variables with a p-value of less than 0.05 were selected as factors associated with optimal breastfeeding. A total of 216 mothers of children aged 6-23months were voluntarily responded, making a response rate of 100%. This study found that 81.9% of mothers have practiced optimum breastfeeding practice. There was a significant association between monthly income and optimum breastfeeding. Mothers who had a monthly income of greater than >1000birr were less likely to practice optimum breastfeeding as compared to mothers who had a monthly income of <500birr (AOR = 0.332, 95% CI: 0.122 - 0.901, p-value < 0.05). Optimum breastfeeding practice among the study subjects in the study area was below widely accepted "Universal coverage" of 90%. Therefore the town and district Health office should work to enhance optimum breastfeeding practice.