Table 2 Factors associated to exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life (N = 1072)

Age of mother, mean (SD)

30.6 (4.3)

29.7 (5.0)

1.04 (1.00, 1.07)

0.043

1.00 (0.94, 1.06)

0.934

Mother education level

 - Primary & Secondary

121 (87.7)

17 (12.3)

Reference

Reference

 - High school/ Intermediate degree

515 (87.9)

71 (12.1)

0.98 (0.56, 1.73)

0.948

1.39 (0.63, 3.05)

0.418

 - University/ Postgraduate

280 (81.4)

64 (18.6)

1.63 (0.91, 2.89)

0.098

2.55 (1.10, 5.91)

0.029

Complication during pregnancy & at birth

 - No

840 (86.1)

136 (13.9)

Reference

Reference

 - Yes

80 (83.3)

16 (16.7)

1.24 (0.70, 2.18)

0.473

0.84 (0.40, 1.77)

0.646

Place of residence

 - Urban

525 (85.1)

92 (14.9)

Reference

Reference

 - Semi-urban

368 (87.2)

54 (12.8)

0.84 (0.58, 1.20)

0.333

0.89 (0.55, 1.42)

0.614

Parity

2.0 (0.7)

1.8 (0.7)

1.32 (1.06, 1.65)

0.014

1.16 (0.80, 1.67)

0.434

Mode of delivery

 - Cesarean section

464 (86.1)

75 (13.9)

Reference

Reference

 - Vaginal delivery

454 (85.5)

77 (14.5)

1.05 (0.74, 1.48)

0.784

1.03 (0.65, 1.62)

0.908

Hospital of birth

 - Central/Provincial

634 (87.1)

94 (12.9)

Reference

Reference

 - District

199 (82.2)

43 (17.8)

1.46 (0.98, 2.16)

0.061

0.93 (0.54, 1.60)

0.788

 - Private

72 (83.7)

14 (16.3)

1.31 (0.71, 2.42)

0.385

1.01 (0.46, 2.24)

0.979

Infant’s sex (male)

 - Female

442 (84.4)

82 (15.6)

Reference

Reference

 - Male

475 (87.2)

70 (12.8)

1.26 (0.89, 1.78)

0.189

1.72 (1.11, 2.68)

0.016

Infant’s birth weight

3.2 (0.4)

3.3 (0.4)

1.52 (1.00, 2.33)

0.051

1.71 (0.98, 2.99)

0.06

Infant’s complication at birth

 - No

857 (85.5)

145 (14.5)

Reference

Reference

 - Yes

54 (91.5)

5 (8.5)

0.55 (0.22, 1.39)

0.171

0.71 (0.16, 3.21)

0.656

Skin-to-skin contact practice (SSC)

 - No SSC

131 (96.3)

5 (3.7)

Reference

Reference

 - < 15 min SSC

293 (93.0)

22 (7.0)

1.97 (0.73, 5.31)

0.181

1.83 (0.49, 6.78)

0.369

 - 15–90 min SSC

359 (83.9)

69 (16.1)

5.04 (1.99, 12.75)

< 0.001

3.64 (0.98, 13.59)

0.054

 - > 90 min SSC

133 (70.4)

56 (29.6)

11.03 (4.28, 28.4)

< 0.001

7.69 (1.95, 30.38)

0.004

First breastfeeding during SSC

 - No

537 (93.7)

36 (6.3)

Reference

Reference

 - Yes

383 (76.8)

116 (23.2)

4.52 (3.04, 6.71)

< 0.001

2.31 (1.30, 4.10)

0.004

Methods of breastfeeding infants

 - Mixed feeding (direct & expressed breast milk)

380 (91.1)

37 (8.9)

Reference

Reference

 - Direct breastfeeding only

540 (82.4)

115 (17.6)

2.19 (1.48, 3.24)

< 0.001

1.65 (1.00, 2.71)

0.049

Breastfeeding problems

 - No

766 (85.7)

128 (14.3)

Reference

Reference

 - Yes

151 (86.8)

23 (13.2)

0.91 (0.57, 1.47)

0.701

1.12 (0.61, 2.07)

0.713

Exposed to formula advertising during pregnancy

 - Often

227 (89.7)

26 (10.3)

Reference

Reference

 - Sometimes

477 (86.6)

74 (13.4)

1.35 (0.84, 2.18)

0.210

2.15 (1.13, 4.10)

0.020

 - Seldom

214 (80.5)

52 (19.5)

2.12 (1.28, 3.52)

0.004

2.58 (1.25, 5.36)

0.011

Received breastfeeding counselling

 - No

237 (85.6)

40 (14.4)

Reference

Reference

 - Yes

683 (85.9)

112 (14.1)

0.97 (0.66, 1.44)

0.885

0.86 (0.52, 1.44)

0.566

Intention of feeding pattern during pregnancy

 - Combination of breast milk & formula

428 (91.5)

40 (8.5)

Reference

Reference

 - Exclusive breastfeeding

476 (81.1)

111 (18.9)

2.50 (1.70, 3.66)

< 0.001

2.48 (1.53, 4.00)

< 0.001

Correctly defined exclusive breastfeeding

 - No

464 (88.9)

58 (11.1)

Reference

Reference

 - Yes

456 (82.9)

94 (17.1)

1.65 (1.16, 2.34)

0.005

1.38 (0.87, 2.19)

0.176

Correctly identified recommended duration of exclusive breastfeeding

 - No

347 (85.5)

59 (14.5)

Reference

Reference

 - Yes

572 (86.0)

93 (14.0)

0.96 (0.67, 1.36)

0.804

0.88 (0.56, 1.40)

0.596

Breastfeeding support in the workplace

 - No

533 (88.0)

73 (12.0)

Reference

Reference

 - Yes

284 (83.5)

56 (15.6)

1.44 (0.99, 2.10)

0.058

1.38 (0.88, 2.17)

0.164