TIMELY INITIATION OF BREASTFEEDING AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG MOTHERS WHO GAVE BIRTH BY CESAREAN SECTION IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS OF KEMBATA TEMBARO AND HADIYA ZONES, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

Timely initiation of breastfeeding is a process of feeding the mother’s breast milk to the newborn baby within one hour of delivery, which was recommended by the World Health Organization, and it is one of the strategies to reduce neonatal mortality. However, there was limited evidence on the timely initiation of breastfeeding and its associated factors among mothers who gave birth by cesarean section in Ethiopia. Objective: To assess the magnitude of timely initiation of breastfeeding and its associated factors among mothers who gave birth by cesarean section at public hospitals of Kembata tembaro and Hadiya zones in Southern Ethiopia from May 01 to 30, 2022. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 415 mothers who gave birth by cesarean section delivery. A consecutive sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data were collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire and checklist. The collected data were entered into EpiData version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. Logistic regression was fitted to examine the association between explanatory variables and the timely initiation of breastfeeding. In multivariable logistic regression, AOR with 95% CI was reported, and p<0.05 was used to declare statistically significant variables with the outcome. Results: The magnitude of timely initiation of breastfeeding was 47.4%, 95% CI: (42.5, 52.6). Four or more antenatal care (ANC) visits [AOR: 2.27, 95% CI: (1.28, 4.02)], counseling during ANC [4.78, 95% CI: (2.66, 8.60)], early skin to skin contact with newborn [2.83, 95% CI: (1.60, 5.02)], post-cesarean section counseling [2.93, 95% CI: (1.56, 5.50)], and health professionals’ assistance [3.07, 95% CI: (1.64, 5.75)] were associated with timely initiation of breastfeeding. Conclusions: The magnitude of timely initiation of breastfeeding in the study area was low. Four or more antenatal care (ANC) visits, counseling about timely initiation of breastfeeding during ANC follow-up, early skin-to-skin contact with newborn baby, post-cesarean section counseling, and assistance from health professionals were factors associated with the timely initiation of breastfeeding. Health professionals should counsel and encourage mothers to initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth and establish early skin-to-skin contact with their newborn.