Nigatu Regassa
Infant and child feeding practices among farming communities in Southern Ethiopia
Hawassa University|Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region
objectivesthe main objective study examine breast feeding complementary feeding practices among farming communities southern ethiopiamethods cross sectional survey design employing quantitative qualitative approachesthe study used primary data collected 1094 households located ten kebeles smallest administrative segment multistage probability sampling techniqueinformation demography breast feeding measured universally accepted computational tools given whodata analyzed using univariate bivariate multivariate statistical techniquesresult result demonstrated large proportion respondents breast feeding last child age 2 surveymajority women initiated breast feeding early birth 56 women practiced exclusive breast feeding 86 reported consistently continuing breast feeding age 2 result indicated complementary feeding starts late significant proportion children age 68 months larger proportion children age groups 68 911 months get core food groups cereal egg meatthe results ordinary least square ols regression revealed four variables appeared predict level dietary food consumption namely experiencing child death last 5 years preceding survey institutional delivery last child literacy status household hungeralso three predictors appeared significant association likelihood continuation breast feeding age 2 namely age women household hunger working outside home conclusionthe study concluded positive signs infant child feeding practices promoted relatively higher rate exclusive breastfeeding first half infancy continued breast feeding second year life beyondthere also certain practices require attention include widespread use bottles delayed introduction complementary foods low dietary diversity throughout first 2 years life