Trends in Breastfeeding and Weaning Practices in Upper Egypt

Introduction: Breastfeeding is one of the most important determinants of child survival, birth spacing, and the prevention of childhood infections. The beneficial effects of breastfeeding depend on its initiation, duration, and the age at which the breastfed child is weaned. Breastfeeding practices vary among different regions and communities. Egypt DHS survey 2008 postulate that Exclusive breastfeeding is common but not universal in very early infancy. Continuous vigilance over infant feeding practices in the community is necessary for timely interventions, to ensure optimal growth and development. We Expect This information will be useful to policy makers for the formulation of interventional programs in the future. The present work indicates more effort is needed to address compliance with immediate initiation of breastfeeding within hour, prelacteal feeding and early weaning, type of weaning foods and feeding practices during illness. Aims of work: •To estimate some of the breastfeeding indicators. •To examine some demographic and socio-economic determinants of breastfeeding. •To identify reasons that led mothers to stop breastfeeding before two years. Sampling: 1347 children (667 boys and 620 girls) aged 2 years or younger were selected by stratified random sample from four governorates (Menia, Assiut, Sohag, Qena) in Upper Egypt. Methods: A structured questionnaire was used to collect socioeconomic and breastfeeding and weaning practicesDescriptive as well as inferential statistics techniques were utilized. The statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 13) was used to analyze the data. Results: As regard breast feeding practices: - Most children (96%) were ever breastfed, (20%) started breast feeding immediately after birth while nearly half of them started within days after labor. - 64.5% got prelacteal feed that was mostly herbal fluids. - Duration of breast feeding ranged between 12-24 months among 40% of the children. - Surprisingly, only 17% of children were formula fed beside breast milk. - During child illness the number of breast feeding was reduced among 40% of the children. - Mother’s mostly following relatives’ advice specifically grandmothers among low and middle social class. - On the other hand, physicians were the main source of knowledge among high class mothers. As regard weaning practices: The most common reason of starting weaning was the infants’ age which was mostly the age between 4-6 months, however around (20%) of children started weaning at an age less than 2 months. Conclusion: •The present work indicates more effort is needed to address compliance with immediate initiation of breastfeeding within hour, prelacteal feeding and early weaning, type of weaning foods and feeding practices during illness. •Health education programs to promote sound breastfeeding practices and targeting grandmothers and physicians are needed.