Non-Exclusive Breast Feeding And Its Factors In The First 6-Month Life of Infants Among Mother-Infant Pairs of 6 to 12 months In Debretabour Town, Northwest Ethiopia, 2019,Community Based cross sectional Study.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Non-exclusive breastfeeding is becoming major cause of infants and children morbidity and mortality in developing countries including Ethiopia. Where high numbers of mothers are practicing non-exclusive breast feeding with in the first 6 months. But, the magnitude of non-exclusive breast feeding and its factors is not addressed in the study area. Objective: This study was aimed to assess the prevalence of non-exclusive breast feeding and its factors in the first 6 months life of infants among mother-infant pairs of 6 to 12 months in Debretabour Town, Northwest Ethiopia, 2019. Method: A Community based cross sectional study was conducted among 860 motherinfant

pairs of 6 to 12 months in Debretabour Town, from March 1-30/2019. To select study participants cluster sampling technique was employed. Structured interviewer based questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was entered into Epi info version 7.2.0.1, and exported to SPSS window version 20 for analysis. Binary and Multivariable logistic regression was used to see the association between dependent and independent variables. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was computed. P-value < 0.05 was used to declare association. Finally; the result is presented in the form of texts, tables and graphs. Result: The prevalence of non-exclusive breastfeeding of mothers to their infants within the first 6 months was found to be 39.8% (95% CI: 36.6-43.0). Mo t h e r s wh o s e husbands had no formal education (AOR=6.60 [95%CI: 4.14, 10.41), primary education (AOR=4.30 [95% CI: 2.62, 7.20]), Mothers occupation, governmental employed ((AOR=8.20 [(95% CI: 5.191, 12.940]), daily laborer (AOR=1.70 [95% CI: 1.01, 2.90], merchant mothers (AOR=0.44 [95% CI: 0.35, 0.90]),and Mothers who had no post-natal care follow up for current baby in health service (AOR=2.40 [(95% CI: 1.56, 3.76]) were significantly associated with Non-exclusive breastfeeding within the first 6 months. Conclusion and Recommendations: High proportion of mothers practiced non-exclusive breast feeding with in the first 6 months. Husband?s education, maternal occupation, and mot her s who had no post - nat al f ol l ow up i n heal t h ser vi ce were predictors with outcomes within the first 6 months in the study area. Hence; it is better to increase annual leave for delivered mothers, improve awareness of husbands towards benefits of introducing complementary feeding timely, and advice mothers to improve post-natal period follow up. Keywords: Non-exclusive breast feeding, Debretabour Town, Ethiopia.