Background Delaying newborn bathing for 24 h after childbirth protects the baby from hypothermia, infection and hypoglycaemia and provides an opportunity for mother–baby emotional bonding. However, no previously published study has investigated the early newborn bathing practices of pastoral mothers in Ethiopia. This study aims to investigate early newborn bathing and associated factors among mothers in Afar Region, Northeast Ethiopia. Methods Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2021. A systematic random sampling technique was used to recruit 386 mothers, and the data collection was performed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression modelling was used to examine the association between explanatory variables (including sociodemographic, obstetric, health service and health literacy factors) and early newborn bathing. Results The overall prevalence of early newborn bathing among postpartum mothers was 73.1% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) from 68.4 to 77.5%. Mothers who attained college or higher education [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.21; 95% CI 0.06–0.66], those who were from urban areas (AOR = 0.19; 95% CI 0.09–0.42) and those who gave birth using operational delivery (e.g. caesarean section and instrumental delivery) (AOR = 0.01; 95% CI 0.01–0.04) were less likely to practice early newborn bathing. Conclusion The practice of early newborn bathing was unacceptably high in pastoral communities of the Afar Region. There is a need for interventions specifically targeting at uneducated and rural mothers as part of the implementation to improve the essential newborn care practices of mothers in pastoral communities in Ethiopia.

Background: Understanding the magnitude and associated factors of postpartum depression (PPD) in the pastoral and hot region of the Afar Region is essential to identify current gains and future gaps for accelerating efforts in reducing the burden of PPD. No previously published study has examined the prevalence and associated factors of PPD in pastoral communities in Ethiopia (including the Afar Region). Accordingly, we investigated the prevalence and associated factors of PPD among postpartum women in the Afar Region, Northeast Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June to July 2021. Postpartum women who visited the Expanded Program of Immunisation (EPI) units of health facilities were included. We used the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to measure PPD. Multivariable logistic regression modelling was applied to investigate associations between sociodemographic, obstetric and health service, and psychosocial factors with PPD. Results∶ The overall prevalence of PPD was 37.4% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) from 32.0% to 43.0%. Postpartum women with a family history of mental illness (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.24, 4.41), who had trouble in infant feeding (AOR = 4.26; 95% CI: 2.32, 7.83), and those who experienced intimate partner violence (AOR = 3.09; 95% CI: 1.58, 6.04) were positively associated with PPD. Postpartum women who attained high school education were less likely to experience PPD compared to those who did not attain formal schooling (AOR = 0.31; 95% CI: 0.12, 0.82). Conclusion: Our findings showed that the prevalence of PPD is higher than the national and global averages. Findings from the study warranted the need for a PPD screening program and targeted interventions for pastoral postpartum women with risk factors.