Background:
Timely initiation of breastfeeding is not only the
easiest, cost effective and most successful
intervention; it also tops the table of life-saving
interventions for the health of the newborn. Twent
y two percent
of neonatal deaths could be prevented, if all infan
ts are put to the breast within the first hour of b
irth. Thus, the
study was designed to assess prevalence of timely i
nitiation of breastfeeding and associated factors a
mong
lactating mothers less than twenty four months chil
dren in urban dwellers of Western Ethiopia.
Methods:
A
community-based cross-sectional study was conducted
from January to February, 2014 on 182 mothers who
had
child less than 24 month. The study participants we
re randomly selected from mother’s identity number
registration book of health extension workers of th
e sub cities. A multivariable logistic regression a
nalysis was
fit to identify independent predictors of early ini
tiation of breastfeeding after controlling for conf
ounding
variables.
Result:
In this study, the prevalence of timely initiation
of breastfeeding was found to be 88.5%. In
multivariable analysis, advice given to mother on b
reast feeding during antenatal care visit
(AOR (95% CI) =
0.094 (0.03-0.35))
and knowing importance of colostrum
(AOR (95% CI) = 0.19 (0.05-0.69))
were positively
associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding.
Those mothers who had poor child attachment to bre
ast were
3.6 times more likely to initiate breastfeeding aft
er one hour delivery compared to mothers who had go
od child
attachment to breast
(AOR (95% CI) = 3.64 (1.05-12.6)).Conclusion:
The study showed that the prevalence of
timely initiation of breastfeeding was good. Advice
during antenatal care visit, child attachment to b
reast and
knowing importance of colostrum were important pred
ictors for timely initiation of breastfeeding. Thus
, the
ongoing antenatal care advising on breast feeding p
ractice should be strengthening and more close atte
ntion is
needed on breast attachment practice of lactating m
others.