MOTHERS' KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE REGARDING EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING
Keywords:
Awareness, Breastfeeding Exclusive, Performance.Abstract
Background: Exclusive breastfeeding has many health benefits and advantages for infants, and up to six months of age, breast milk alone is considered sufficient and complementary. Introducing additional foods during this period can lead to disruptions and various diseases, negatively affecting the natural growth and development of infants. However, if the exclusive breastfeeding program, as emphasized by the World Health Organization and UNICEF, is correctly followed by mothers, the child's growth and development will be normal, and it will enhance the child's immunity and resistance to diseases. To evaluate the level of mothers' knowledge regarding exclusive breastfeeding for infants in the first six months of life we carried out this study.
Methods: This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted using questionnaires with 507 mothers in the Pediatric Department of Maiwand Teaching Hospital, Kabul City, Afghanistan.
Results: The study interviewed 507 mothers by Epi info Programme, of whom, were under 30 years old 51.0%, 33.1% were between 31 and 40 years old, 15.1% were between 41 and 50 years old, and 0.57% were over 50 years old. Were housewives 87.7%, and 12.2% had jobs outside the home. The main source of information for 48.9% of mothers was family members, 29.3% from hospitals and health centers, and 21.6% from the media. Mothers had three or fewer children43.1%, while 56.8% had more than
Three children. 23.47% of mothers were literate, and 76.528% were illiterate, 69.625% of mothers were Aware of the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding until six months and 67.258% had exclusively breastfed their infants in the first six months.
Conclusion: More than half of the mothers in the study were between 18 and 30 years old. Most were housewives. The primary source of information for the mothers was family members, followed by hospitals and health centers, and the media. A significant number of mothers had more than three children, and most were illiterate. The majority of mothers had knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding and practiced exclusive breastfeeding for their infants up to six months due to public health.
