OBJECTIVE To examine the prevalence of key WHO breastfeeding indicators and identify determinants of suboptimal breastfeeding practices among children aged less than 24 months in Tanzania. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Secondary analyses of cross-sectional data from the 2010 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey. The survey used a stratified two-stage cluster sample of 10 312 households f...

BACKGROUND Breast milk is the optimal source of nutrition for infants in the first six months of life. Promoting and protecting breastfeeding is reflected in public health policy across the globe, but breastfeeding rates in both developing and industrialised countries continue to demonstrate that few mothers meet these recommendations. In addition to sociodemographic factors such as age, educat...

Background Ineffective breastfeeding technique is one of the factors contributing to mothers practicing non-exclusive breastfeeding. Inappropriate breastfeeding technique is the leading cause of nipple pain in Ethiopia, as in other countries. However, no studies have examined breastfeeding technique and associated factors in eastern Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of ...

Fathers' knowledge base and attitudes influence breastfeeding practice. We aimed to evaluate if Irish fathers felt included in the breastfeeding education and decision process. 67 fathers completed questionnaires, which assessed their role in the decision to breastfeed, knowledge regarding the benefits of breastfeeding and attitude towards breastfeeding.Forty-two (62.7%) of their partners were ...

The landscape of breastfeeding has changed over the past several decades as more women initiate breastfeeding in the postpartum period and more hospitals are designated as Baby-Friendly Hospitals by following the evidence-based Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. The number of births in such facilities has increased more than sixfold over the past decade. With more women breastfeeding and st...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the initation time of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding rates, and complementary feeding practices during the first six months of life among mothers who gave birth in a baby-friendly hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted with 350 mothers. Demographic characteristics, obstetric history and information about breastfeeding initiation ...

OBJECTIVE To describe mothers' exclusive breastfeeding intentions and whether Baby-Friendly hospital practices are associated with achieving these intentions. METHODS In the 2005-2007 Infant Feeding Practices Study II, women completed a prenatal questionnaire and approximately monthly questionnaires through 12 months. Mothers met their prenatal exclusive breastfeeding intention if their durat...

BACKGROUND The identification of the factors most closely associated with the initiation of breastfeeding is a vital first step in designing strategies to promote breastfeeding. The study therefore aimed to identify the factors that may be associated with the initiation of breastfeeding in the first 48 h after giving birth among mothers in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. METHODS This cross-sectional stu...

CONTEXT Studies have shown that exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge is associated with longer duration of breastfeeding. Method of delivery (MOD) is a barrier that may hinder breastfeeding practices. However, research examining the association between MOD and exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge is lacking. OBJECTIVE To examine the association between MOD and exclusive brea...

BACKGROUND Evidence is growing that active management of the third stage of labor using prophylactic uterotonics may be associated with lower breastfeeding rates. The reasons underlying this relationship are incompletely understood. The aim of this article is to examine the experiences of mothers who stopped breastfeeding in relation to administration of parenteral uterotonics for postpartum he...