Assessment of timely initiation of breastfeeding and associated factors among mothers who have infants less than six months of age in Gunchire Town, Snnpr, Ethiopia 2019

Abstract Background: Timely initiation of breastfeeding is defined as the initiation of breastfeeding within one hour after childbirth. Despite breastfeeding has benefit for both mothers and infants, globally breastfeeding within one hour of life in the world was less than half. In least developed countries (53%), Eastern and southern Africa (60%), Ethiopia (73%) of infant breastfed within one hour. The aim of this study was to assess timely initiation of breastfeeding and associated factors among mothers who have infant less than six months of age in Gunchire town, Ethiopia. Methods : The study was conducted from May 6 to 20, 2019 by using face to face interview of structured questionnaire. Community based cross-sectional study was employed on 333 women. The study participants were selected by Simple random sampling techniques. The data were coded, entered, cleaned and analyzed by SPSS with windows version 21.0. Binary and multivariate logistic regression statistical model were used. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI will be computed to see the strength of association. Results: In this study the magnitude of timely initiation of breastfeeding was 80.5%. Governmental employed mothers (AOR=2.914, 95%CI: 1.139, 7.46), Antenatal care visit (AOR=5.99, 95% CI:1.29, 27.81), Baby skin to skin contact (AOR=2.4, 95%CI:1.092, 5.34), Vaginal delivery (AOR=5.82 95%CI:1.68, 20.14) Institutional delivery (AOR=5.5, 95CI%:1.66, 18.3), Good knowledge of breastfeeding (AOR=4.02, 95%CI:1.04, 15.59) and Breast disease (AOR=0.24, CI95%: 0.08, 0.73) were significantly associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding. Conclusion: More than third quarter of the respondent mothers timely initiated breastfeeding. Being governmental employed, Antenatal care visit on current baby, skin to skin contact, vaginal delivery, institutional delivery, breast disease and knowledge of mothers about breastfeeding were significantly associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding. Recommendation: We would like to recommend Enamore woreda health office to provide information to give further education about breastfeeding. To Gunchire primary Hospital staffs work at maternal and child health clinic recommend them to provide appropriate services and stimulate the mothers to initiate breastfeeding, skin to skin contact enhancing within first hour of birth. Further study on timely initiation of breastfeeding at institution level is suggested. Key word: Timely, Breastfeeding