Breastfeeding pattern in a village in Assiut, Upper Egypt

Abstract EN

Breastfeeding is the incomparable first food for a newborn infant.

In the first two years of life, feeding patterns play a fundamental role in the infant's growth and health.

Differences in patterns of breastfeeding exist within and between countries and cultures.

This cross-sectional study was done to profile breastfeeding pattern in El-Boora village, Assiut district.

It included 300 infants and young children less than 24 months of age.

Their mothers were asked about infant feeding practices, including breastfeeding and complementary feeding patterns.

Only 35.7% of the sample was put to the breast within an hour after delivery, but the majority (84%) began breastfeeding within the first day.

Colostrum was the first food given to 71.7% of the sample.

The prevalence of breastfeeding was found to be 80.3%.

Only a minority of infants were exclusively breastfed throughout the first 6 months of life.

Exclusive breastfeeding rate at 4 months of age was 7.9% and decreased to 4.4% at six months.

The majority of infants were given liquids mainly plain water.

So, full breastfeeding was found to be 60.5% at 4 months of age and 51.5% at six months.

Timely complementary feeding rate was 76.2%.

Continued breastfeeding rate (I year) was found to be 83.8%, while continued breastfeeding rate (2 years) was 38.7%.

Insufficient milk was the main reason given by mothers for termination of breastfeeding (44.1%).

Most mothers accept breastfeeding as the best for the infant, but more emphasis need to be placed on encouraging early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour after delivery.

A major problem is that the great majority of mothers don't breastfeed exclusively in the first six months of the infant's life.

So, exclusive breastfeeding rate is very low and an intervention is highly recommended to increase it.

These problems can be effectively countered by appropriate health education, training of health workers and effective lactation management