Exclusive Breast Feeding Prevalence and Associated Factors an Institutional Based Cross Sectional Study in Bahir dar Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Exclusive breastfeeding is accepted as the best natural form of infant feeding up to six months and has a protective effect against morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of exclusively breastfeeding and associated factors during the first six months among mothers who was attending in Bahir Dar public health centers and private pediatric clinics. An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted on mothers with infants six-twelve months of age. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to determine the final sample size of 634 participants. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select the eligible mothers. The result show that, The overall rates of exclusively breast feeding were 46.7%. Mothers who are currently in union [(AOR=0.176 (0.058, 0.536)], urban residence mothers [(AOR=0.375 (0.211, 0.664)], not sick infants [(AOR=4.441 (2.404, 8.094)], adequate knowledgeable mothers [(AOR=3.570 (2.367, 5.383)] and favorable attitude mothers [(AOR=2.537 (1.729, 3.724)] were significant association towards exclusively breast feeding. Exclusively breast feeding was significantly low in Bahir Dar city administration health care facility attendant mothers.. Therefore health education should be focused on urban societies, mothers with sick infants, to raise their knowledge and change attitude of mothers towards the many benefit of exclusive breast feeding both in public and private health care facilities so as to increase the prevalence of exclusive breast feeding.