Breastfeeding Characteristics and Associated Factors of Children in Infancy: A Cross-sectional Study Based on Primary Care

Abstract

Objective: It is to determine the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months and continued breastfeeding at the end of the first year in the primary care population, and the effects of mothers’ socio-demographic and breastfeeding characteristics on these.

Methods: The cross-sectional and analytical study was performed in Aydın Efeler district between 01 October and 31 December, 2019. The population of the study consisted of 3675 infants aged 12-24 months who received service from the Family Health Centers (FHC) in the district. Of the 160 participants determined by the power analysis, 120 of them were planned to be interviewed in urban and 40 in rural FHCs. A total of 225 (55 rural, 170 urban) participants were reached. The data collection form prepared to collect information on sociodemographic characteristics and breast feeding was applied face to face by the researcher.

Results: 51.1% (115) of infants with a mean age of 19.1±5.0 months (median 18.0; between 12-24 months) were girls. Exclusive breast feeding duration of infants participating in the study was 3.5±2.4 months in average and exclusive breast feeding rate was 32.9% (74) in the first six months. The infants were breast fed for an average duration of 10.2±3.4 months and the rate of infants continuing breast feeding at the end of one year was 74.7% (168). In the first six months the probability of exclusive breastfeeding and the probability of continuing breastfeeding at the end of one year were higher; in infants who started breastfeeding with in the first hour after birth than those who did not (p=0,007), in infants who do not use pacifiers or bottles than those who use it (p=0,000) and in infants who are breastfed for 15 minutes or more in the first month than those who are not breastfed (p=0,003). The probability of continuing breastfeeding at the end of one year was higher in infants only looked after by their mothers compared to infants of supported mothers (p=0,007).

Conclusion: The infant sucking each breast for at least 15 minutes during a breast-feeding session especially in the first months and increasing the time the mother spends with her infant positively effects breast feeding. Providing information and training on breastfeeding to caregivers by family physicians will increase the intake of breast milk by children during infancy. It is important to increase awareness on this issue at the community level.