EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING PRACTICES AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG MOTHERS OF UNDER ONE YEAR INFANTS IN PASTORALIST COMMUNITY OF CHERETI DISTRICT, AFDER ZONE, SOMALI REGION, SOUTHEASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Breastfeeding remains the simplest, healthiest and least expensive feeding method that fulfills the infants’ needs. Despite the promotion of exclusive breast feeding, its importance is poorly understood in pastoral communities. Moreover, there is paucity of information on practice and determinants of exclusive breast feeding in pastoral communities, particularly in chereti district, to plan and intervene accordingly. Objective: To assess the prevalence and factors affecting exclusive breast feeding among mothers of infants six month to one year in the pastoral community; Somali Region, Afder zone, Chereti district, Southeastern Ethiopia, from March 11 to April 10, 2019. Methods: A community based cross sectional study design was used. Study participants were selected by using two stage sampling technique. Nine kebeles were selected by simple random sampling technique and systematic sampling technique was used to select 532 study participants. Purposeful sampling method was used for selection of focus group discussion participants. Data was coded and entered into Epi data version 3.02. It was exported to statistical package for social science software version 20 for data cleaning and analysis. Multicollinearity test was checked by variance inflation factor. Model adequacy was assessed using Hosmer and Lemeshow test of goodness of fit of (0.06). P-value<0.05 was considered to declare statistically significant in multivariable analysis. Result: Prevalence exclusive breastfeeding in chereti district was 52 %( 95%CI 48%, 57%). Husband’s literacy status : able to read and write (AOR=2.9;95% CI:1.6,5.5),primary school(AOR=4.5;95% CI: 1.8,12.1), secondary school (AOR=5.5;95% CI:2.2,14.2) and college (AOR= 3.6; 95% CI:1.5,8.9),mothers who give colostrum for their infant (AOR=2.3;95%CI:1.3,3.9). Mothers having antenatal follow (AOR=2.1;95%CI:1.1,4.3.),mothers counseled on exclusive breastfeeding during antenatal care (AOR=3.4;95%CI:1.9,6.2), mothers who deliver in the health institution(AOR=2.1,95%CI:1.2,3.6) and mothers having counseled during postnatal care (AOR=2.;95%CI:1.2,3.3) were more likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding. Mothers living in the urban area (AOR=0.33; 95% CI: 0.2, 0.6) were less likely to exclusively breastfed than their counter parts Conclusion: The prevalence of breastfeeding in this study is lower than the national figure as well as the global recommendation [52 %( 95%CI 48%, 57%)]. Husband literacy status of the mother ,rural area of resident ,giving colostrum, ANC follow up, counseling about breast feeding during ANC ,health institution delivery and counseling during postnatal care were significantly associated in the final multivariable analysis. Needs to expand and strengthen maternal health services specifically antenatal and postnatal care services in line with the existing health service expansion, Moreover, emphasis should be given to the pastoral mothers and child feeding practices should be integrated with the existed health system.