Pattern of Breastfeeding Practice During the First 6 Months of Life in Mafraq

Aim: To assess the breastfeeding practice in the first 6 months of the infant’s age at the public Gyno-obstetric-pediatric hospital (GOPH) in Mafraq, Jordan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at (GOPH) in 2009 (Jan. 1, 2009-Dec. 31, 2009).Infants attended the primary care centers and well-baby clinic of (GOPH) for the first 6 months. Motherswere interviewed to collect the information on the mothers, the infants and their breastfeeding practicesin which definitions were used for classification of the infants’ nutrition patterns. Results: There were 300 infants included in this study. Breastfeeding was initiated among 94% of thesample. Most mothers supplemented breastfeeding with milk formula (72%) or fluids (95%) during thefirst 6 months. The percent of exclusive breastfeeding was 4.2% and partial breastfeeding (formula +breastfeeding) was the most common type of feeding at 82.4%. Lactation duration dropped to 55% after6 months. The factors that caused mothers to favor the milk formula use were the introduction of theformula in the first of life, maternal reasons of inadequate milk lactation, formula introductionassociated with mother parity, working status and combined contraceptive pill use. Conclusion: Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was low in the sample. Partial breastfeeding was thetrend for feeding in the first 6 months of life which was accompanied with a rapid decline in lactationduration.