Exclusive Breastfeeding and its Related Factors among Infants in Bandar Abbas City, Iran

Breast milk is the best way of nutrition in the early months of infant’s life and plays an important role for growth, physical and mental health of children. Despite the benefits of breastfeeding for mother and her children health, most of mothers do not continue their breastfeeding. This study aims at the exclusive breastfeeding and its correlates among infants in Bandar Abbas city, Iran. In this cross sectional study, 800 mothers who had infant above 6 months old were selected from health centers in Bandar Abbas city using clustered sampling framework during 2009-2012. Information about exclusive breastfeeding and socio-economic factors were gathered through a questionnaire and interview with mothers. Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was 55.4%. No history of specific disease in mother during pregnancy, breastfeeding experience, sufficiency of mother’s milk, wanted pregnancy, singleton baby, beginning the breastfeeding in first 2 hours after delivery, birth in hospital and no pacifier use are the determinants of exclusive breastfeeding (p<0.05). The results of this study showed that more than half of the infants less than 6 months had exclusively breastfeeding and beginning the breastfeeding in first 2 hours after birth is one of the most influential factors in exclusive breastfeeding.