Abstract:
Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth and development. Breast milk contains all the nutrients that an infant needs in the first 6 months of life and bioactive factors that augment the infant’s immature immune system, providing protection against infection, and other factors that help digestion and absorption of nutrients. Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months of infants' life is a cost effective intervention in saving children's lives especially in developing countries. Despite all the advantages of EBF, in Tanzania many women still do not practice it as recommended. Women’s decisions regarding breastfeeding may be influenced by social, environmental, physical and personal factors.
Main objective: To explore predictors of exclusive breastfeeding among women with children aged 6 to 12 months in Mkuranga District, Coast Region.
Methodology: This was a across sectional study involving 300 mothers with children aged 6 to 12 months and 10 elderly women residing in selected villages of Mkuranga District. The mothers were selected through multistage cluster sampling while the elderly women were conveniently identified within the households where the postnatal mothers were living. Information from the postnatal mothers and the elderly women was collected using a structured interview schedule and a key informant guide respectively. Data was entered and analyzed using Epi Info version 3.5.4 computer software. Bivariate analysis and multiple logistic regressions were performed to identify statistically significant predictors of exclusive breastfeeding.
Results: The highest proportion of mothers (81.3%) initiated breastfeeding within one hour after birth. Knowledge of EBF for the first six months of life was relatively high (86%) compared to the EBF practice (7%). In the multivariate analysis, mothers with knowledge on the duration of EBF (OR 5.56, p-value = 0.02) and the principle of emptying one breast first before shifting to the other (OR 18.34, p-value < 0.00) were significantly more likely to practice EBF compared to mothers who did not use this principle. Elderly women played a major role of caring for both newborns and mothers after delivery, but study findings showed that they had insufficient knowledge on EBF.
Conclusion: The predictors of EBF on the study area were knowledge on the duration of EBF and the time spent to empty one breast. Strategies targeting on improving breastfeeding knowledge and skills among mothers as well as elderly women may help to improve EBF in Mkuranga District.
