Table 1 Sociodemographic characteristics and breastfeeding practice of mothers in Effutu Municipal, Central Region of Ghana, July to November, 2015 (n = 200)
Sociodemographic variables | Number | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
Age of mother (years) | ||
15 – 25 | 98 | 48.8 |
26 – 35 | 67 | 33.3 |
36 – 45 | 28 | 13.9 |
46 + | 7 | 4.0 |
Mean age in years | 28 ± 7 | |
Marital status | ||
Single | 40 | 20 |
Married | 160 | 80 |
Religion | ||
Christianity | 188 | 94 |
Islam | 5 | 2.5 |
Traditional religion | 2 | 1 |
Other religion | 5 | 2.5 |
Maternal education | ||
No education | 65 | 32.3 |
Basic education | 100 | 50.2 |
Secondary education | 14 | 7.0 |
Tertiary education | 21 | 10.4 |
Place of residence | ||
Slum | 120 | 60 |
Planned community | 80 | 40 |
Age of infant | ||
0 – 2 months | 46 | 23.4 |
3 – 4 months | 60 | 29.8 |
5 – 6 months | 35 | 17.4 |
7 months | 59 | 29.4 |
Mean age in months | 4 ± 2 | |
Sex of infant | ||
Male | 104 | 51.7 |
Female | 96 | 48.3 |
Occupation | ||
Mothers without occupation | 28 | 14 |
Mothers in occupation | 172 | 86 |
Sector of employment | ||
Formal sector | 22 | 13 |
Informal sector | 150 | 87 |
Breastfeeding practice | Number | Percentage (%) |
Breastfeeding initiation | ||
Within 1 h of birth | 132 | 66 |
2 – 6 h | 35 | 18 |
7 – 12 h | 8 | 4 |
1 day and beyond | 25 | 12 |
Exclusive breastfeeding by age of infant | ||
0 – 2 months | 40 | 35 |
3 – 4 months | 43 | 40 |
5 months | 25 | 25 |
Breastfeeding frequency (8 +) in 24 h by age of infant. | ||
0 – 2 months | 36 | 23 |
3 – 4 months | 45 | 29 |
5 – 6 months | 30 | 20 |
7 months | 44 | 28 |
Breastfeeding frequency (<8) in 24 h by age of infant. | ||
0 – 2 months | 11 | 24 |
3 – 4 months | 14 | 32 |
5 – 6 months | 5 | 11 |
7 months | 15 | 33 |