Breastfeeding practices and associated factors among children under 24 months of age in Timor-Leste

Abstract

Objective: To describe breastfeeding practices and to assess the sociodemographic factors associated with selected breastfeeding indicators. Design and setting: The 2003 Demographic and Health Survey was a multi-stage cluster sample survey of 4320 households from four different geographic areas in Timor-Leste. Subjects: A total of 2162 children aged 0-23 months. Results: A high proportion (97.6%) of infants had been ever breastfed, but only 46.1% had initiated breastfeeding within the first hour of birth. Seventy-eight percent of children o24 months were currently breastfed, 30.7% of infants o6 months were exclusively breastfed and 12.5% of infants o12 months were bottle-fed. A high proportion of infants of 6-9 months (82.0%) were receiving complementary food in addition to breast milk. Multivariate analysis revealed that exclusive breastfeeding was significantly lower in the rural west region (odds ratio (OR) ¼ 3.15) compared to the urban region, and among those from richest households (OR ¼ 1.90) compared to poorest. Mothers with primary education were significantly more likely to exclusively breastfeed than mothers with no education (OR ¼ 0.62). Increasing age of the infant was associated with significantly less current (OR ¼ 1.23) and exclusive (OR ¼ 1.35) breastfeeding. Continuation of breastfeeding at the end of the first year was significantly lower in non-working mothers (OR ¼ 1.58) compared to working mothers, and among infants born in health-care facilities (OR ¼ 2.16) than those born at home. Conclusions: Breastfeeding practices in Timor-Leste were satisfactory, except the exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months. However, more socioeconomically privileged groups demonstrated a poorer breastfeeding performance than disadvantaged groups. Further breastfeeding promotion programmes are needed across all population groups, and should include health-care providers and maternity institutions. Sponsorship: World Bank Trust Fund for East Timor.

Barriers to Exclusive Breastfeeding among Urban Mothers

“…Another study also showed that only 23% of urban mothers breastfed their children up to 4 months and it declined to 16% at 6 months. 10 Talukder et al 11 also showed that only 66% of the urban elite exclusively breastfed their children at birth, 42% at one month and 12% at fourth month. This study found that exclusive breastfeeding was more common among multiparous mothers.…”

Timely initiation of breastfeeding and associated factors among mothers in Motta town, East Gojjam zone, Amhara regional state, Ethiopia, 2015: a cross-sectional study

“…This result is higher when compared to the 2011 Ethiopian DHS report 51.5 % [7] and from studies done in; Saudi Arabia 22 % [10], Raya Kobo Northwest Ethiopia 71.7 % [11], Goba district Southeast Ethiopia 52.4 % [12], Arba Minch zuria southern Ethiopia 57.6 % [13], India 36.4 % [14], 34 % among those who deliver their child through vagina in Harcourt teaching hospital [15], Nepal 66.4 % [16], in a study using 2011 EDHS 52 % [17], Tanzania 51 % [18], Timor Liste 46.1 % [19], in Lebanon 55.9 % [20], in hospital delivered infants India 36.4 % [21], in baby friendly hospitals in Turkey 35.2 % [22]. …”

Breastfeeding Initiation and Continuation by Employment Status among Korean Women

“…has been shown to be positively associated with breastfeeding initiation and continuation in developed countries, an inverse relationship was found in developing countries [23,28,29]. Korean women who were college graduates or had a higher educational level were reported to have significantly lower breastfeeding rates compared to women with a lower educational status [14].…”