Formula Milk Initiation in the First 24 Hours of Life Among Neonates Born Through Caesarean Delivery in Abebech Gobena Memorial Maternal and Child Health Hospital

Abstract

Problem statement: Although formula milk feeding provides several benefits in cases of clear medical indications, its ever-increasing use stands in contrary to the World Health Organization and United Nations International Children’s Fund recommendations of infant feeding practices. Internationally, there are several studies focusing on breastfeeding practices and associated factors, but there is a lack of evidence on formula milk feeding practice in the situation of caesarean delivery. Moreover, there is a gap of information on the factors that leads to formula milk feeding practice in the immediate post-operative period in an institutional setup. Objectives: The main objective of the study is to assesses the prevalence and associated factors of formula milk feeding practice in the first 24 hours among mothers who gave birth via caesarean delivery in Abebech Gobena Memorial Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Methods: An institution based analytic cross-sectional study was conducted in the post-natal ward of Abebech Gobena Memorial Maternal and Child Health Hospital. All mothers who gave birth via caesarean delivery from December 21, 2023 to January 31, 2024 were included in the study. Data were collected with an interviewer administered structured questionnaire. Data entry was done on SPSS version 27, and the analysis was done on Stata 17.0. The analysis included descriptive statistics as well as binary logistic regression and multiple logistic regression, while checking for collinearity and model fitness. Results: The prevalence of formula milk feeding among neonates born via caesarean delivery at AGMMCHH was found to be 35.6% (31-40.5%, 95% CI) and the main reason given by the mothers was inadequate breast milk (77.2%). The factors that showed significant positive associations with formula milk feeding practice are delayed initiation of breastfeeding and maternal employment in a private company. Conclusion and recommendation: More than a third of the mothers started formula milk feeding. Considering that the most significantly associated factor was delay in initiation of breast feeding, fully committing on the implementation of Baby-friendly Hospital initiative and promotion of early initiation of breast feeding is strongly recommended.