Early Initiation of Breastfeeding and Its Associated Factors Among Mothers Who Delivered Vaginally in South Gondar Zone Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia, 2020

PURPOSE: The early onset of skin-to-skin contact encourages the infant to breastfeed within one hour of birth. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of early onset breastfeeding and its associated factors among vaginal delivered mothers in hospitals in the South Gondar Zone of Northwest Ethiopia in 2020. METHODS: From January 12 to February 03, 2020, an institutional-based cross-sectional study was used in South Gondar Zone hospitals. A total of 356 mothers delivered by vaginal were included. Data was collected using a questionnaire administered by the interviewer and entered into version 3.1 of EpiData, and then exported to SPSS version 23.0.0. To classify factors correlated with the outcome variables, logistic regression statistical analyses were used. RESULTS: In the study area, the prevalence of early breastfeeding initiation among vaginally delivered mothers was 88.2%. Mothers who had unintended pregnancy [adjusted OR=6.00, 95% CI=2.8, 12.5], had professional guidance [adjusted OR=2.75, 95% CI=1.2, 5.6] and experience with breastfeeding [adjusted OR=1.79 95% CI=1.19, 2.68] among vaginal delivered mothers were positively correlated with early breastfeeding initiation. CONCLUSION: The type of pregnancy and professional guidance among vaginally delivered mothers were significantly associated with early initiation of breastfeeding. Community-based education and counseling on breastfeeding for pregnant mothers and encouraging all mothers to start early breastfeeding.