Timely Initiation and Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates at Adentan Municipality in Ghana

Abstract

Background: Early initiation of breastfeeding (BF) has been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for optimum infant growth and development. Objectives: To determine the factors associated with early initiation of BF, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) duration and timely introduction of complementary feeding. Methods: This was a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional design that involved 391 mothers sampled conveniently. Early initiation of BF, EBF duration, time of introduction of complementary foods and the types of complementary foods fed infants were documented. Proportions were presented for the outcome variables. Chi square and Fishers exact tests were used to evaluate the associations between the outcome variables and the independent predictor variables. Results: The mothers were aged between 15-45 years and 84% initiated BF within 30 minutes to 1 hour after delivery. Less than half (46%) of respondents initiated complementary feeding (CF) at six months postpartum. About 40.4% fed infants formula milk during the complementary period, 32.2% fed infants locally prepared foods during the complementary period. There was a statistically significant association between gender of child (χ2= 2.7; p< 0.01) and exclusive breastfeeding for six months. Maternal factors were significantly associated with knowledge level in EBF duration (χ2=18.34; p < 0.0001) and time of initiation of breastfeeding (χ2=22.40; p < 0.0001). Institutional factors that showed statistical significance exclusive breastfeeding for six months were place of delivery (χ2=14.60; p< 0.001) and presence of attendant at birth (χ2=14.18; p<0.003). Conclusion: Maternal and types of health facilities that mothers visited during antenatal and where the delivered influenced BF initiation, duration and appropriate complementary feeding practices.