Exclusive Breast Feeding and Its Associated Factors Among Mothers of <12 Months Old Child in Harar Town, Eastern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Exclusive breast-feeding is the practice of feeding breast milk during the first 6 months and no other liquids and solid foods except medications. Despite its demonstrated benefits, exclusive breast-feeding practice in many countries including Ethiopia is lower than the international recommendation. However, studies about exclusive breast-feeding in the study area are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to fill this gap. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Community-based cross-sectional study was employed. A cluster sampling method was used to select 577 women who had a child aged <12 months. Data were collected using a pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire. Epi-Data version 3.1 and SPSS version 21 were used for data entry and analysis. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze the association between the dependent and independent variables. RESULTS: A total of 577 study participants have participated in the study which gives 97.8% response. Exclusive breast-feeding practice among the mothers was 45.8%. Women in the age group of 26–40 were 2 times more likely to breast-feed than women in the age group of 18–25 at (AOR = 1.980 [95% CI = 1.098, 3.570]). Women who have information about exclusive breast-feeding were two times more likely to breast feed than those who have no information at (AOR = 1.952 [95% CI = 1.130, 3.373]). Those women who initiated breast-feeding early were 12 times more likely to breastfeed than those women who did not initiate early at (AOR = 12.336 [95% CI = 1.331, 14.316]). CONCLUSION: The overall exclusive breast-feeding practice among the women was found to be less. Age, information on breast-feeding and early initiation of breast-feeding were found as important predictors of exclusive breast-feeding. Improving access to information on recommended infant feeding is vital, and encouraging exclusive breast-feeding among mothers through proper counseling and mother-friendly work environment is advisable.