BREASTFEEDING BEHAVIOUR AMONG FIRST TIME MOTHERS VISITING SELECTED HEALTH FACILITIES IN GA EAST DISTRICT OF GREATER ACCRA REGION

ABSTRACT
 
BACKGROUND: Timely breastfeeding initiation is critical to child survival and development. First-time mothers are particularly vulnerable to poor breastfeeding practice. Although studies have been conducted on breastfeeding initiation, first time mothers have
not been prioritized. 

OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence of timely breastfeeding initiation, and the associated factors of breastfeeding initiation and suboptimal child feeding practices during first six months among first time mothers in Ga East District of Greater Accra.

DESIGN: A facility-based cross-sectional study was carried out in postnatal and Child Welfare Clinics (CWC) in Ga East district from May to July 2015. Quantitative data were collected from 220 randomly selected first time mothers attending CWC, by selfadministered questionnaire and interviewer-administered based on literacy status. Chisquare analyses were used to identify factors associated with timely breastfeeding initiation. Multiple logistic regression analyses identified the independent factors associated with timely breastfeeding initiation. 
RESULTS: A total of 48.2% first time mothers initiated timely breastfeeding at birth compared to 51.8% who did not initiate breastfeeding. A total of 34.1% mothers’ gave prelacteal foods to their children the first few days after birth. More mothers between the ages 21 to 30 reported giving prelacteal food (76%). Mothers who initiated breastfeeding within one hour were less likely to use any prelacteal food (AOR=0.25, 95% CI 0.14-0.46, Pvalue