Knowledge, practice of exclusive breastfeeding and some related factors of mothers with 7 - 12 month children in Pleiku city, Gia Lai province in 2022

Abstract

Analytical cross - sectional study, using prepared questionnaires to interview 240 mothers with children born from March 1, 2021 to July 31, 2021 in Pleiku city. This study aims to describe the knowledge, practice and some factors related to the practice of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months of mothers in Pleiku city, Gia Lai province in 2022. The results show that the percentage of mothers with knowledge about exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months is 75.4%. The percentage of mothers who practiced exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months was 16.7%. The percentage of mothers who practice exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months is higher in the group of mothers aged 30 years or older, with intermediate or higher education, having an unstable job, and living in poor living conditions, the same family with 3 generations or more; have a child who is a boy; give birth to a full-term baby; have acquired knowledge about exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months. It is necessary to strengthen communication work to improve mothers’ knowledge about exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months, focusing on knowledge about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for babies, for mothers and knowledge of maintaining adequate breast milk for infants. Focus on communicating mothers under 30 years of age, with an education level from high school or below, mothers living in twogeneration families.