Breastfeeding and Child Spacing

Background: Breast milk (ASI) is a liquid created specifically that comes directly from the breast of a mother for babies and is the best food for babies especially aged 0-6 months. Factors that influence exclusive breastfeeding to mothers include maternal sociodemographic factors, pre/post natal factors, and psychosocial factors. Bojonegoro Regency is one of the regions in Indonesia that has quite good exclusive breastfeeding coverage in 2018 to reach 87%. However, there are still a number of sub-districts and public health service in Bojonegoro that have not been able to reach the target of breastfeeding coverage by the Ministry of Health in 2015, one of them is Leran Village, Kalitidu District, Bojonegoro Regency. Objective: This study determined the relation between characteristics of breastfeeding mothers consisting of age, education, occupation, and parity with exclusive breastfeeding in Leran Village, Kalitidu District, Bojonegoro Regency. Methods: The method is observational type and analytic descriptive which uses cross sectional approach. Variables studies had a relationship with exclusive breastfeeding if p < 0,05. Result: As many as 56% of mothers do not give exclusive breastfeeding. Most of the mothers who do not provide exclusive breastfeeding have low education (78,6%), aged 36-45 years (57,1%), are housewives (64,3%), and multiparous (50%). Statistical analysis showed no relation to the variables age (p=0,099), occupation (p=0,165), parity (p=0,208) with exclusive breastfeeding. While the education (p=0,003) have a relation with exclusive breastfeeding. Conclusion: The conclusion of this study is that there is no relation between age, occupation, and parity of mothers with exclusive breastfeeding. However, there is a relation between mother’s education and exclusive breastfeeding Keywords: exclusive breastfeeding, mother’s age, mother’s education, mother’s occupation, parity

Exclusive breastfeeding is the first, main and best food for a natural baby. Asi contains various nutrients needed in the process of growth and development of babies. ) The efficacy of breast milk is so large as breast milk can reduce the risk of babies suffering from various diseases. If the baby is sick it will heal faster when getting breast milk. Breast milk also helps the growth and development of children's intelligence Goals: The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between family knowledge and support for mothers with exclusive breastfeeding. Methods: The research method used an analytical survey type with a cross sectional approach to 75 breastfeeding mothers who had babies aged 7-24 months. Data analysis was performed by univariate analysis to obtain an overview of each independent and dependent variable. Data will be presented in the form of distribution, frequency and bivariate analysis to determine whether there is a relationship between independent variables (categorical) and independent variables (categorical) using Chi Square Test. Results: The results of the study obtained the frequency distribution of respondents with good knowledge 45 people (60%), less knowledge of 30 people (40%), family support 33 respondents (44%), family support 42 respondents (56%), ASI actions Exclusive 17 respondents (22.7%), did not provide exclusive breastfeeding 58 respondents (77.3%). There is no relationship between mother's knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding (p-value 0.063). There is no relationship between family support for exclusive breastfeeding p = 0.063 and p = 0.098 (α = 0.05) means that there is no relationship between knowledge and family support for mothers with exclusive breastfeeding. Conclusion: It is recommended to the community especially to mothers and families to increase exclusive breastfeeding so that the baby's needs for breastfeeding are met, and the family continues to provide support for the mother to give the baby exclusive breastfeeding, further researchers use different and varied variables and dig deeper into the mother's attitude towards exclusive breastfeeding with direct interviews with nursing mothers.

There is insufficient evidence to confirm the association between breastfeeding and allergic outcomes later in life. This study aimed to determine the relationships between different breastfeeding patterns and allergen sensitizations and risk of developing atopic diseases in early childhood. A total of 186 children from a birth cohort in the Prediction of Allergies in Taiwanese Children study for a 4-year follow-up period were enrolled. Total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and specific IgE antibodies against food and inhalant allergens were measured sequentially at 6 months as well as at 1, 1.5, 2, 3, and 4 years of age. A significantly lower prevalence of milk sensitization was found in children at ages 1 and 1.5 years who were exclusively or partially breastfed for ≥6 months. Breastfeeding ≥6 months was significantly associated with a reduced risk of developing eczema but not allergic rhinitis and asthma at ages 1 and 2 years. Compared with exclusive breastfeeding ≥6 months, partial breastfeeding <6 months was significantly associated with an increased risk of developing eczema at ages 1 and 2 years. As with exclusive breastfeeding, partial breastfeeding for at least 6 months appears to be associated with a reduced prevalence of milk sensitization as well as a reduced risk of developing eczema in early childhood.

Although exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) has many benefits, it is not commonly practiced in several countries as a result of context-specific challenges. EBF practice is thus a global health discourse because over 200 million children suffer from malnutrition despite the abundance of human milk. The risk of starvation remains very high among African children with less than 40% of them exclusively breastfed. In Africa, the adoption or nonadherence to EBF is a sociocultural issue. Hence, this narrative review examined the sociocultural context of EBF in the region. PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus were searched using keywords related to EBF and Africa. Relevant data from selected studies were synthesized narratively and reported using a structured narrative format. EBF is strongly rooted in every culture and is a culturally determined behavior. Some believe that colostrum is dirty and harmful to newborns and, thus, needs to be purified. Despite the belief that human milk is the best food for babies, mothers often complement human milk with other foods right from birth because of perceived lactation inadequacy. Most African mothers believe in prelacteal feeding to help cleanse the infant's gastrointestinal tract for digestion, quench thirst, flush the bladder and help the mother to rest after childbirth before breastfeeding (BF) is initiated. The role of significant others was equally found important in the decision and duration of BF. The availability of family support (especially from grandmothers and husbands) reportedly encouraged EBF in Africa. The duration and exclusivity of BF in Africa are negatively associated with demographic variables like young age, low level of education, being unmarried, low income, out of employment, and parity (first-time mother). While there have been some efforts and policies to improve EBF, it is important to consider context-specific challenges and sociocultural factors. There is a need for more deliberate efforts to encourage mothers through the implementation of effective best practices concerning EBF in Africa.

Background: Children are god gifted to society and we are responsible for every need of children. We can give them proper nourishments, care and good health. Breast milk is optimal food for the new born. Breastfeeding is one of the most important determinants of child survival, prevention of childhood infections. Methods: Community based cross sectional study was conducted at block Phagi, Jaipur, (Raj.), India on 300 mothers having children between 6 months to 24 months of age. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on breastfeeding practices. Results: Out of 300 nursing mothers, majority of the participants 129 (43.00%) were the age group of 18-23 years followed by 118 (39.33%) from 24-29 years of age group. Majority of study participants 110 (36.66%) were illiterate. 156 (52.00%) participants were belonged to V SES. Large number of 188 (62.66%) of infants had pre-lacteal feeds. 202 (67.33%) of children had not Exclusive Breast Fed. Conclusions: This study relived that need to creating an awareness of the demerit of pre-lacteal feeds and advantages of colostrum, exclusive breastfeeding in rural area.

Background: Breast milk is an adequate food for babies in the process of growth and development because its content such as nutrients and protective factors play a role increasing the speed of metabolism and growth thus as to reduce infant morbidity and mortality. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the body weight of infants aged 6-12 months between exclusive and non-exclusive breastfeeding. Methods: The method used that descriptive-comparative research design. Samples in the study were taken using the Total Sampling method. It was 70 respondents divided into two groups namely exclusive breastfeeding and non-exclusive breastfeeding. The data were taken using a Kartu Menuju Sehat (KMS, Standard Growth Charts) and analyzed using the Chi-Square test with a meaning level of 5% (α=0.05). Result: There were 21 (60%) infants with normal body weight that received exclusive breastfeeding and 19 (54.2%) infants with more body weight that received non-exclusive breastfeeding. The results of the hypothesis test using Chi-Square obtained a p-value of 0.006 (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion: The early days of life are very important for infants regarding to their nutrition. Breastfeeding mother need support from the family thus the infants could get exclusive breastfeeding.

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for the first six months is essential for optimal infant nutrition and emotional development. Despite this, Rwanda’s EBF rates-81% among infants under six months and 68% among those aged four to five months-remain below UNICEF’s 100% recommendation. This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence of EBF, maternal knowledge, and associated factors among mothers attending selected health centres in Musanze District, an area with high under-five stunting despite food sufficiency. A total of 260 mothers with infants aged 6–15 months were randomly selected from Muhoza, Kimonyi, and Nyakinama Health Centres between May 19 and June 18, 2023. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire covering socio-demographic characteristics, perinatal factors, and EBF practices. Analysis was performed using STATA 15, employing chi-square tests and logistic regression to identify factors associated with six-month EBF. Most participants were aged 25–34 years (52.7%), lived in urban areas (58.1%), and were stay-at-home mothers (75.4%). The study found that 79% of mothers exclusively breastfed for six months. Knowledge of EBF was generally high, with 94.6% having heard of EBF and 84% demonstrating good knowledge-particularly regarding its benefits (98.5%) and recommended duration (89.2%). Several factors were significantly associated with EBF practice. Mothers without breastfeeding-related health problems were 4.3 times more likely to practice EBF than those with such issues. EBF was also protective against gastrointestinal infections in infants. Additionally, valuing maternal support-especially a mother’s opinion-increased the likelihood of practicing EBF by 2.5 times. Knowledge level alone, however, was not a significant predictor. Overall, although knowledge of EBF is high, the practice remains below optimal levels. The study concludes that exclusive breastfeeding is widely practiced in Musanze District, supported by strong maternal awareness of its importance and recommended duration. The study concludes that maternal health, infant well-being, and support from close family members remain central influences that determine whether mothers sustain exclusive breastfeeding for the full six months. The study recommends that health authorities and health facilities should strengthen early breastfeeding counselling, address maternal breastfeeding challenges promptly, and reinforce community education throughout the pre- and post-natal periods. The study recommends that families and community members should offer consistent support to breastfeeding mothers, while future programs should integrate influential family figures such as grandmothers to improve adherence to exclusive breastfeeding. Keywords: Breastfeeding, Mothers, Infants Aged 6-15 Months, Health Facilities, Musanze District

Background and objective: Breastfeeding is a useful and natural source of nutrition that provides the healthiest start for an infant. Despite its nutritional benefits, breastfeeding promotes a unique and emotional connection between mother and baby. This study aimed to assess the determinants of exclusive breastfeeding within the first six months of age in Erbil City, Iraq. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Erbil city, Iraq, from December 2017 to December 2018. A convenience sampling method was used for selecting mothers of infants aged 6-15 months. A structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The statistical package for the social sciences was used for data analysis and a P value of ≤0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. Results: A total of 306 mothers with children aged between 6 and 15 months were included. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 26.5%. Around 36% of mothers had a primary school qualification, of whom 28.2% gave exclusive breastfeeding. Around 84%of the mother were housewives, of whom 28.3% had exclusive breastfeeding. Around 92% of the mothers had a birth at health facilities, of whom 26.2% gave exclusive breastfeeding. Around 50% of mothers had cesarean section deliveries, of whom 23.4% gave exclusive breastfeeding. Around 44% of the mothers mentioned that insufficient milk is the barrier to exclusive breastfeeding. Conclusion: Exclusive breastfeeding still remains low compared to the current WHO recommendations. The most common barrier to continuing exclusive breastfeeding was the perception of insufficient milk production. Housewife mothers are more likely to breastfeed their infants exclusively, and least when the mother is a non-house wife. Keywords: Exclusive breastfeeding; Mothers; Infants; Erbil.

Optimal nutrition and regular growth assessment are essential components of healthcare for all children in order to detect early problems related to their nutritional status before they are seriously compromised. The objective of our study was to describe the feeding and growth of healthy breastfeeding infants (0-18 months) in North East of Algeria. A prospective and descriptive study of the observational type was conducted, in the service of maternal and child protection at the public health establishment of Skikda (Algeria). The population constituted mothers and their infants (1-3 months) who presented for the first or second immunization visit and were followed up to 18 months. Data were collected by interviewing mothers using an adapted WHO ( Children were monitored for breastfeeding, complementary feeding and growth. Monitoring growth from birth (1, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 18 months) was done by taking anthropometric measurements (weight, height and head circumference), the evaluation of motor development and the calculation of anthropometric growth indices according to WHO standards (2006, 2007): weight/age (W/A), height/age (H/A), weight/height (W/H), body mass index/age (BMI/A) and head circumference/age (HC/A). A total of 159 infants were enrolled, including 83 (52.2%) girls, giving a sex ratio of 0.92. From 1 to 5 months, exclusive and predominant breastfeeding did not differ by sex (p>0.05). Exclusive breastfeeding was observed in 15.7% of infants at the first month versus 7.5% at 5 months. Predominant breastfeeding increased from 84.3% in the first month to 92.5% at 5 months, while complementary feeding started from four months. All mothers continued partial breastfeeding for up to one year. All children had normal motor development. Weight status (4-18 months) did not differ by sex (p>0.05). At the end of the study, 5.8% of the infants showed body wasting, lean (4.8%), stunted (2.7%) while 83.8% were within the normal weight range. To improve the nutritional status of Algerian infants, the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding and management of their diet is necessary by provision of a diversified complementary diet, which includes all macro and micronutrients, meets all energy and nutritional needs and teaches them good eating habits and behaviors.

Breastfeeding provides optimal infant nutrition; however, <50% of infants are exclusively breastfed (EBF) for 6 months. We aimed to describe breastfeeding practices and their effects on growth and mortality among a high-risk mother-infant cohort in rural Sierra Leone. This was a secondary analysis of data from a randomized nutrition intervention trial among undernourished pregnant women. The study’s primary outcomes were infant weight and length gains at 6 weeks of age. We included 1270 singleton infants in the analysis, with 1092 (85.6%) having 24-week outcome data. At 6 weeks, 88% were EBF, but the rate of EBF decreased to 17% at 24 weeks. The EBF infants at 6 weeks had improved length (difference of 0.9 mm/week; 95% CI 0.4 to 1.3; p < 0.001) and weight (difference of 40 g/week; 95% CI 24 to 53; p < 0.001) gains compared to the non-EBF infants. At 12 weeks, the EBF infants had improved weight (difference of 12 g/week; 95% CI 2 to 22; p = 0.024) gain. The EBF infants had lower mortality than the infants who were not EBF (hazard ratio of 0.39; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.84; p = 0.017). In summary, the infants who were EBF had greater weight and length gain and reduced mortality than those who were not EBF. Efforts to improve breastfeeding should thus be prioritized to improve infant health.

Breast milk is the best food for babies 0-6 months. Indonesia's exclusive breastfeeding coverage in 2022 was recorded at only 67.96%, down from 69.7% in 2021. The cause of the lack of exclusive breastfeeding is influenced by several factors, one of which is the mother's knowledge about exclusive breastfeeding. One way to increase exclusive breastfeeding is to carry out health promotion through audio-visual media. This study aims to determine the Effect of Exclusive Breastfeeding Education Through Audio-Visual Media on the Knowledge of Third Trimester Pregnant Women at Wangon II Health Center. This study used pre-experimental research, with one group pretest-posttest design evaluation experiment through pretest-postest. The study sample was 35 pregnant women in the third trimester who were given treatment in the form of exclusive breastfeeding socialization with adio-visual media. The results of the experimental group's Wilcoxon test obtained a p value (0.000) ≤ 0.05, this shows that there are differences in knowledge level about exclusive breastfeeding in pregnant women before and after being given educational interventions using audiovisual media.

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Background: &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Exclusive breastfeeding means giving only breast milk to babies from 30 minutes after birth (after birth) until the age of 6 months, without additional fluids, such as formula milk, fruit juices, water, honey, tea water and solid complementary foods such as fruit, biscuits, milk porridge. , rice porridge and team rice. Mothers who breastfeed exclusively, in principle, will get menstruation longer than those who do not exclusively breastfeed their babies. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Objectives: &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and the duration of the return of menstruation in mothers who have babies aged 6-12 months in the Working Area of Pekik Nyaring Health Center, Central Bengkulu Regency. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Methods: &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;This research was conducted in December 2021 in the working area of the Pekik Nyaring Health Center, Central Bengkulu Regency using a kohort retrospektif.design. Determination of the number of samples using the slovin formula. The sample in this study were mothers who had babies aged 6-12 months in the Pekik Nyaring Health Center Work Area, Central Bengkulu Regency as many as 54 people spread over 7 villages with proportional random sampling technique. &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Results: &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;The results showed that most of the respondents were under 35 years old with the most education level graduating from high school and most of them working as housewives. Most mothers who have babies aged 6-12 months give exclusive breastfeeding and get menstruation back more than six months. There is a significant relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and the length of return of menstruation for mothers who have babies 6-12 months in the Working Area of Pekik Nyaring Health Center, Central Bengkulu Regency.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;There is a significant relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and the duration of the return of menstruation in mothers who have babies 6-12 months in the Working Area of Pekik Nyaring Health Center, Central Bengkulu Regency&lt;/em&gt;

Breast milk is the main food for babies. Breast milk is the main source of life for babies until the age of 6 months. For 6 months, babies are expected to drink only breast milk without any other additions or often called exclusive breastfeeding. This study aims to determine the factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding behavior in the working area of tampo puskesmas, napabalano sub-district, muna district in 2023. This type of research is quantitative research and analytic survey design with a cross sectional approach. This study used a total sampling technique with a sample size of 75 respondents. Data analysis using univariate and bivariate analysis using the chi square test. The results of statistical tests using the chi-square test show that, there is a relationship between maternal knowledge and exclusive breastfeeding with a value (p = &lt;0.05), there is a relationship between formula milk promotion and exclusive breastfeeding (p = &lt;0.05), The conclusion in this study is that the factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding in the working area of tampo health center, napabalano sub-district, muna district are knowledge,andformula milk promotion It is recommended to the health center to add counseling sessions in every posyandu activity so that the benefits of breast milk can be conveyed to breastfeeding mothers so that mothers are more motivated to do exclusive breastfeeding to their babies, to mothers During pregnancy, mothers need to actively consult midwives who conduct pregnancy checks to obtain information related to breastfeeding and get motivation from health workers to continue to do exclusive breastfeeding to their babies.

Breastmilk (ASI) is the best food for babies, which contains white blood cells, protein and immune substances suitable for babies. Breast milk helps the child's optimal growth and development and protects against disease. Whereas in Banten Province in 2018, the percentage of exclusive breastfeeding was 62.79% (Riskesdas, 2018). Several factors can influence mothers to exclusive breastfeeding their babies. One of them is the support from the husband, who plays a role in the success of breastfeeding mothers. Husbands can be the key to success in exclusive breastfeeding for their children if the husbands carry out their roles properly. The research objective is to determine the relationship between the father's role in breastfeeding and the success of exclusive breastfeeding in the working area of the Ciomas Public Health Center in 2020.&#x0D; Methods: The type of research used is quantitative with a descriptive-analytic design through a cross-sectional approach. The research was carried out in the Working Area of the Ciomas Health Center in September - October 2020. The sample in the study was 30 respondents who had babies over 6-24 months with a consecutive sampling technique. Retrieval of data using questionnaires online. The analysis used was the Spearman rank (rho) correlation test method. The results of the study showed that out of 10 people who had a good father role, nine people (90%) succeeded in exclusive breastfeeding with good knowledge, three people (75%) and 20 people were included in the category of poor father role, 18 people did not succeed in breastfeeding. Exclusive (90%) with a p-value &lt;0.05 indicates a significant relationship between the role of fathers and the success of exclusive breastfeeding. With the criteria of a strong relationship of 0.783, it is included in the very strong category (0.76 - 0.99)

Background: This study was designed with the objective to evaluate the fundamental risk factors of malnutrition among children in Lahore city and its outskirts, Pakistan. Methods: Data of four hundred and five children with age group less than 5 years was collected from Children hospital and Jinnah hospital, Lahore. We used weight-for-height anthropometric index, designed by World Health Organization (WHO), to measure the nutritional status of children. Preliminary analysis was performed by using Pearson Chi-square and Gamma statistics to check the association between factors (demographic, socio-economic and health related variables) and response variable i.e., nutritional status. Then, proportional odds model (POM) was fitted to the information collected. Results: Of 405 children included in the study, 33% (135) were found malnourished, whereas, approximately 67% (270) were found nourished. Findings of the study revealed that child’s age, maternal education level, socio-economic status, maternal age at the birth of child, low birth spacing, status of antenatal-postnatal care, incomplete vaccinations, exclusive breastfeeding, prevalence of fever, cough and recurrent episodes of diarrhea were the significant risk factors of malnutrition. Prevalence of acute respiratory infection (ARI) was turned out to be insignificant risk factor. In this study, parallel lines assumption was satisfied and proportional odds model was fitted well with p-value greater than 5% level of significance. Conclusion: This paper highlights the significant risk factors that are affecting the child’s health. Recognizing and understanding the identified risk factors would be very helpful in prevention of malnutrition in Pakistan.