Coverage and determinants of newborn feeding practices in rural Burkina Faso

OBJECTIVES: Newborn feeding practices are important to neonatal health and survival, but understudied in sub-Saharan Africa. We assessed the prevalence and determinants of newborn feeding practices in Burkina Faso. STUDY DESIGN: An 18 000 household survey was conducted in rural Burkina Faso in 2010–2011. Women of reproductive age were asked about antenatal, delivery, and newborn care practices for their most recent live birth. Coverage of newborn feeding practices was estimated and multivariate regression was used to assess determinants of these practices. RESULTS: Seventy-six percent of live births were breastfed within 24 hours of birth, 84% were given colostrum, and 21% received prelacteals. Facility delivery and antenatal care attendance were associated with positive feeding practices. CONCLUSIONS: Positive newborn feeding practices were common in rural Burkina Faso, relative to other low-income settings. Interventions are needed to improve feeding practices among home-born babies, and to encourage earlier initiation of breastfeeding among facility-born newborns.