Breastfeeding practices and exclusive breastfeeding among syrian refugee mothers in Jordanian Host Communities

Breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity are essential in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity rates. Employing the Health Belief Model as a framework, this cross-sectional survey aimed to identify influencing factors and barriers to exclusive breastfeeding among 523 eligible Syrian refugee mothers living in Jordan. Of these, 35.8 % practiced exclusive breastfeeding and 36.9 % initiated breastfeeding within the first hour of birth. The logistic regression model showed that prior breastfeeding experience (OR = 5.06, p < 0.001, 95 % CI: 2.17–11.82), maternal satisfaction with feeding method (OR = 3.58, p < 0.001, 95 % CI: 1.89–6.76), medical insurance (OR = 1.74, p = 0.015, 95 % CI: 1.11–2.73), birth method (OR = 1.69, p = 0.034, 95 % CI: 1.04–2.73) and infant gender (OR= 0.64, p = 0.05, 95 % CI: 0.41–0.99) significantly influenced exclusive breastfeeding rates.

The findings revealed that breastfeeding practices do not align with WHO recommendations, emphasizing the crucial role of healthcare providers in supporting breastfeeding mothers during crises. It is essential to consider the unique circumstances and cultural backgrounds of refugees when evaluating their needs for developing breastfeeding programs. International health organizations, like the UNHCR, and host country policymakers should prioritize access to antenatal and postnatal counseling services and health insurance for mothers and children during crises.