The Relationship between Maternal Ideation and Exclusive Breastfeeding Practice among Saudi Nursing Mothers: A Cross-Sectional Study

All mortality risk factors are higher in non-breastfed infants compared to infants under five months of age who receive Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF). Examining the predicting role of maternal ideation in EBF practices can help to direct and strengthen the cooperation between multidisciplinary healthcare providers to formulate multidisciplinary breastfeeding enhancement strategies. Methods: This correlational cross-sectional study investigates the relationship between maternal ideation and EBF practice among Saudi nursing mothers at Maternal and Children’s Hospital (MCH) in Najran, Saudi Arabia. The study incorporated 403 Saudi nursing mothers aged 6–12 months with healthy infants. The data collected using a questionnaire comprises demographic characteristics and obstetric history, the EBF Practice scale, and a maternal ideation scale. The data was collected from the beginning of November 2022 to the end of January 2023 and analyzed using I.B.M. version 22. Results: Breastfeeding initiation within one hour occurred among 85.1% of women, while 39.2% fed their newborn only colostrum during the first three days. EBF until six months was practiced by 40.9% of the participants day and night and on-demand (38.7%). Furthermore, 60.8% of the study participants had satisfactory overall EBF practices. The cognitive part of maternal ideation shows that 68.2% of the participants had adequate knowledge and 63.5% had positive beliefs regarding EBF practice. The maternal psychological ideation dimensions show that 81.4% had high EBF self-efficacy. The maternal social ideation dimensions showed that high injunctive and descriptive norms were present among 40.9% and 37.5%, respectively. In addition, healthcare providers (39.2%) had the most significant social influence, followed by husbands (30.5%). Binary logistic regression shows that the mother’s age, occupation, and education are the significant demographic predictors of satisfactory EBF practices (p < 0.05). All maternal ideation constructs were positive predictors of satisfactory EBF practices (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Maternal ideation constructs are positive predictors of satisfactory EBF practice and can be used to predict high-risk groups and plan for further intervention.