Factors Associated with Discontinuing Exclusive Breastfeeding among Mothers of Infants Aged 0-6 Months

Knowing breastfeeding is one of the easiest and cost-effective ways to maintain a good childhealth, majority infants are not exclusively breastfed for the recommended 6 months of age.Thus, the aim of the study was to find out the factors associated with discontinuing exclusivebreastfeeding (EBF) among mothers of infants’ aged 0-6 months.MethodsA analytical study design was used to find out the factors associated with discontinuing EBFamong mothers of infants’ aged 0-6 months in Nepal. A total of 380 mothers of infants whosechild were 0-6 months old were selected using non-probability purposive sampling techniquethrough online survey as people are advised to stay at home during the Covid-19 outbreak. Datawas collected using structured questionnaire with interview technique.ResultsStudy findings revealed that half (50.5%) of the mothers exclusive breastfed their infants withmother’s mean age being 27.39 ± 3.64 years. Discontinuation of EBF varied with mothers age,ethnicity, mother’s educational level, initiation of breastfeeding and sources of informationregarding EBF as newspaper/articles and relatives/friends/neighbors (p=<0.005). The factorsrelated to mother that are associated with discontinuation of EBF were found to be perceivedinsufficient milk, cesarean section delivery, jobholder mother (p= <0.001) respectively.ConclusionsOnly half of respondents exclusively breastfed their infants for the recommended age in whichonly factors related to mother were significant with discontinuation of EBF rather than infants’.Findings of the study emphasizes on counselling the mothers regarding the benefits of EBF toboth child and mother during hospital visits.Keywords: exclusive breastfeeding; factors; under 6 months; EBF.