Exclusive Breastfeeding Prevalence and Feeding Patterns of Children Livingat Rural Areas inSerba Jadi Sub District, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract:Exclusive breast feeding (EBF) is the most effective strategy to prevent deaths. It is estimated 13% of children deaths live in low resources setting prevented by EBF. However, the coverage of EBF is still low at rural areas. Deploying midwives at villages is one of the strategy to improve EBF. The challenges come from the manufacturing solidfoods.The aim of study was to find out the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding practice and feeding patterns of childrenin rural areasof Serbajadi sub-district.This is a population based, cross-sectionalstudy withquestionnaire-based interview of mothersselectedpurposively.A total 949childrenfrom eligible households were obtained to be the sample. Only 16.5% mothers breastfedexclusively infants <6 months. The lowest prevalence foundintwovillages (2.5% and 5.0%) and the highest is in Serbajadi village 56.0%. Sixty three percentof mothers had introduced solid foods for their babies<4month of age.Maternal education and familyincome wassignificantly as the predictors to exclusive breastfeeding andintroducingsolids food(p<0.03;p<0.04respectively). The result concludes that exclusive breastfeeding practicingwas still rare, in contrast the introduction ofmanufacturedsolid foodswas so intensive. Theskill of village based midwivesin promoting EBF have to be enhancedthroughpeer counselling and home based couselling.