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- Title
Knowledge and Intention about Breastfeeding Practice among Mothers.
- Authors
Bahaa Eldin, Rasha Mohammed; ElTaher, Alaa Abdelrazek; Abd el-Sattar, Eman Mohamed
- Abstract
Background: Breastfeeding is an important issue to the whole community not only for mothers and infants. The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months of life. So mothers' knowledge of breastfeeding is a critical issue. Objective: to assess mothers' knowledge and practice toward exclusive breastfeeding. Methods: This is a cross sectional study conducted on 261 mothers attending Awlad saqr family health center and units from November 2022 till September 2023. Data was collected by using semi semi-structured questionnaire. The mothers included in the study were in the third trimester till three months postnatal coming for breastfeeding counseling service or other health care services e.g. (vaccination, family planning, and antenatal and postnatal visits). Results: The study revealed that mothers practiced exclusive breast feeding was 191 (73.2%) mothers. Sufficient knowledge level was reported in 45.2% of participants. Mothers' intention for exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months was 86.2%. Being a housewife, receiving high education, and counseling in previous and current pregnancies are significant predictors for sufficient knowledge detected by logistic multivariate analysis. They significantly increase the opportunity for sufficient knowledge by 2.31, 18.67, 2.04, and 6.3 respectively. Conclusion: Although the percentage of participants who reported exclusive breastfeeding was high, there was an inadequacy of knowledge about breastfeeding in general and about correct feeding practices. Educated mothers, frequent antenatal care (ANC) visits, and counseling sessions are associated with good knowledge and intention. Counseling sessions for mothers about EBF need to be enhanced to improve counseling services during antenatal and postnatal care visits.
- Subjects
BREASTFEEDING promotion; BREASTFEEDING techniques; MEDICAL care; MOTHERS; POSTNATAL care; FAMILY health
- Publication
Zagazig University Medical Journal, 2024, Vol 30, p39
- ISSN
1110-1431
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.21608/ZUMJ.2024.273455.3212