Pre-lacteal feeding practice and its associated factors among less than twenty-four months old children in Degahbour town, Somali region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: A pre-lacteal feeding (PLF) is any food except mother’s milk provided to a newborn before initiating breastfeeding within the first 3 days of life. Pre-lacteal foods might not be safe due high possibility of contaminating with biological entities, which can cause infection to the newborn and might affect the colostrum intake. However, this might be different from context to context in a country like Ethiopia, where different cultural practices are dominated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess pre-lacteal feeding practices and its associated factors among children less than 24 months in Degahbour town, Somali regional state, Ethiopia.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June 5 to July 30, 2021. Data were collected from 300 mothers who had children aged less than 24 months in Degahbour town, using interview administered questionnaire. Systematic random sampling method was used to select the study participants. Sociodemographic and economic, and other maternal and child related characteristics’ data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. To identify the factors associated with pre-lacteal feeding practices, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used. Variables with p-value less than or equal to 0.25 in bivariate analysis were included in multivariate regression model, in which variables with p-value <0.05 were identified as factors associated with pre-lacteal feeding practices. Result: The total mothers participated in this study, 47.3%, 95% CI (42.0%, 53.3%) had given pre-lacteal foods to their newborn baby in the first three days of their life. Being mother living in semi-urban area [AOR: 4.49 (95% CI 2.39,8.42)], delivered in home [AOR=2.15, 95% CI: (1.21,3.82)], lately initiated breastfeeding for indexed child after the first hour of delivery [AOR=2.34, 95% CI: (1.28,4.28)], had no counseling about breastfeeding [AOR = 2.23, 95% CI: (1.28,3.88)], not received ANC follow-up [AOR:2.11; 95%CI (1.19,3.74)],had poor maternal knowledge about breastfeeding [AOR:5.51; 95%CI (3.16,9.62)]were factors significantly associated with practicing pre-lacteal feeding for the indexed child.

Conclusion: The prevalence of PLF is high compared to national level figure (26 %) reported in EDHS 2016. for  (2016 EDHS). Factors significantly contributed for PLF practices by the mothers of Degahbour town included place of residence, place of delivery, late initiation of breastfeeding after delivery, not receiving ANC during pregnancy period and poor knowledge on breastfeeding Therefore, Attention should be given on activities which can improve ANC follow-up, institutional delivery and nutrition knowledge of mothers during pregnancy period including the importance of colostrum feeding immediately after delivery.