Compliance To Exclusive Breastfeeding Of Children By Mothers Seeking For Maternal/Child Health Services In Mathira Sub-County Hospitals, Nyeri County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is the practice of feeding the infant for the first six months of life on breast milk only. This is the standard way of feeding the infants six months and below as per WHO/UNICEF recommendations.Globally, many studies have shown thatthere is increasing number of mothers who do not follow this practice for the full period of six months with, rates of as low as 13% in America, 20% in West and Central Africa and 32% in Kenya. Despite the serious consequences associated with low uptake of EBF such as increasedmorbidity and mortality of children, the compliance to EBF in central Kenya is not well documented.This study aimed at assessing the level of compliance to exclusive breastfeeding and the factors that influence it. The study was conducted in Mathira Sub-county in Nyeri County. A sample of 250 mothers wererandomlyselected from three Hospitalswhich serve a large population in the Sub-county. These were, one public hospital (Karatina) one mission hospital (Tumutumu)and two private hospitals, Jamii hospitaland Karatina nursing home.Pre-tested questionnaires were used in collecting information on demography,practices of exclusive breastfeeding and factors influencing the same, from mothers with babies who had completed the first six months of breastfeeding. The Data was processed and analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS). The Chi-Square test was used to test for significant associations between independent and dependent variables. Results indicated that majority of the mothers (80%) interviewed were married and 74% had a previous experience with breastfeeding. Most (92%) were not employed or were in informal sector andon education level, majority (92%) had either primaryor secondary education. Majority (76%)initiated the first feeding within the first hour after birth and this had a significant (p=0.004) association with compliance to EBF.The result also showed that there was a significant association (p=0.005) between on demand breastfeeding and compliance to EBF. A majority of 82% observed the rooming-in and this had a significant(p=0.005) association with compliance to EBF.Overall, compliance to EBF was high at 65%.Factors such aseducation level of the mother, monthlyincome and previous breastfeeding experience were not significantly associated with compliance to EBF. Other factors that had significant association with compliance to EBF were the occupation(p=0.028) of the mother and marital status (p=0.0245). It was concluded that compliance to EBF for six month was high at 65%, within the respondents from all the health institutions under the study.The researcher recommends thatmore focus be directed oninformation that lead to increasing thelevel of the rooming-in, early initiation of breastfeedingas well as discouraging separate nurseries for well-babies to allow for early initiation of breastfeeding. Further, there is also a need enhance the level of baby friendly initiative across all health facilities and for the government to develop a policy on breastfeeding shelters at all institutions.