Table 2 Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding for > 120 and > 150 days in the NFHS-4 and 5 surveys (weighted) (> 120 days - NFHS-4, N = 6324; NFHS-5, N = 6890 & > 150 days - NFHS-4, N = 6557; NFHS-5, N = 6334) using multivariable logistic regression analysis

Household characteristics

Religion

Hindu

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Muslim

0.8 [0.7, 1]

0.023

0.8 [0.7, 0.9]

0.002

0.8 [0.6, 1]

0.023

0.8 [0.6, 0.9]

0.008

Christian

0.6 [0.5, 0.8]

0.000

0.5 [0.4, 0.6]

0.000

0.6 [0.4, 0.8]

0.001

0.5 [0.4, 0.6]

0.000

Others

1.1 [0.9, 1.4]

0.423

0.7 [0.6, 0.9]

0.006

1 [0.7, 1.5]

0.829

0.8 [0.6, 1.1]

0.099

Caste

Schedule caste

0.9 [0.8, 1.1]

0.309

1.1 [1, 1.3]

0.164

0.8 [0.7, 1.1]

0.145

1.2 [1, 1.5]

0.037

Schedule tribe

1.4 [1.1, 1.6]

0.002

1.4 [1.2, 1.7]

0.000

1.3 [1.1, 1.7]

0.019

1.5 [1.2, 1.9]

0.001

Other backward class

0.9 [0.8, 1.1]

0.300

1.2 [1, 1.4]

0.015

0.9 [0.7, 1]

0.098

1.3 [1.1, 1.6]

0.009

Others

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Setting

Rural

1.1 [1.0, 1.3]

0.168

1.1 [0.9, 1.2]

0.494

1.3 [1.1, 1.6]

0.008

1.2 [1, 1.4]

0.116

Urban

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Wealth index (quintile)

Highest

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Higher

0.9 [0.8, 1.1]

0.517

0.8 [0.6, 0.9]

0.004

0.9 [0.7, 1.2]

0.505

0.8 [0.7, 1]

0.080

Middle

0.9 [0.7, 1]

0.124

0.9 [0.8, 1.1]

0.521

0.9 [0.7, 1.1]

0.227

1 [0.8, 1.2]

0.930

Lower

1 [0.8, 1.2]

0.749

0.9 [0.7, 1.1]

0.238

0.9 [0.7, 1.1]

0.270

1 [0.7, 1.2]

0.659

Lowest

1.1 [0.9, 1.4]

0.358

1 [0.8, 1.2]

0.922

1 [0.8, 1.4]

0.857

1 [0.8, 1.3]

0.873

Maternal characteristics

Maternal age (years)

< 20

0.9 [0.7, 1.1]

0.196

0.6 [0.5, 0.7]

0.000

0.8 [0.6, 1.1]

0.138

0.5 [0.4, 0.7]

0.000

20–24

0.9 [0.8, 1.1]

0.319

0.9 [0.8, 1]

0.021

0.9 [0.7, 1]

0.110

0.8 [0.7, 1]

0.015

25–31

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

> 31

1.1 [0.9, 1.4]

0.199

1.1 [0.9, 1.3]

0.406

1 [0.8, 1.3]

0.945

1 [0.8, 1.3]

0.833

Maternal education

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Secondary

1.1 [0.9, 1.1]

0.441

1 [0.9, 1.2]

0.626

1.1 [0.8, 1.3]

0.636

1.1 [0.9, 1.3]

0.493

Primary

0.9 [0.7, 1.1]

0.405

1 [0.8, 1.3]

0.855

0.9 [0.6, 1.2]

0.443

1.1 [0.9, 1.5]

0.284

No education

1 [0.8, 1.2]

0.884

1 [0.8, 1.2]

0.977

1 [0.7, 1.3]

0.751

1 [0.8, 1.3]

0.866

Number of antenatal visits

≥ 4 visits

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

< 4 visits

0.9 [0.8, 1]

0.039

1 [0.9, 1.2]

0.535

1.1 [0.9, 1.2]

0.459

1 [0.8, 1.1]

0.412

No visits

1 [0.8, 1.2]

0.697

0.9 [0.7, 1.2]

0.403

0.9 [0.7, 1.2]

0.636

0.9 [0.7, 1.3]

0.605

Mode of delivery

Vaginal birth

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Caesarean section

1.1 [1, 1.3]

0.108

1 [0.9, 1.2]

0.560

1.1 [1, 1.4]

0.093

1 [0.9, 1.2]

0.897

Place of delivery

Public health facility

1.2 [1, 1.4]

0.017

1.1 [1, 1.3]

0.087

1.2 [1, 1.4]

0.106

1.3 [1.1, 1.5]

0.003

Private health facility

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Home delivery

1.2 [0.9, 1.5]

0.252

1 [0.8, 1.2]

0.765

1.3 [0.9, 1.7]

0.162

19 [0.7, 1.3]

0.939

Infant characteristics

Gender of infant

Male

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Female

1 [0.9, 1.1]

0.917

1.1 [1, 1.2]

0.121

1 [0.8, 1.1]

0.526

1.1 [0.9, 1.2]

0.350

Birth order

1

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

2

0.6 [0.5, 0.7]

0.000

0.5 [0.4, 0.5]

0.000

0.6 [0.5, 0.7]

0.000

0.5 [0.4, 0.6]

0.000

≥ 3

0.6 [0.5, 0.7]

0.000

0.5 [0.4, 0.7]

0.000

0.7 [0.5, 0.8]

0.000

0.5 [0.4, 0.6]

0.000

Birth weight (g)

≥ 2500

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

2000–2499

0.8 [0.7, 0.9]

0.003

0.8 [0.7, 1]

0.013

0.9 [0.7, 1.1]

0.237

1 [0.8, 1.1]

0.569

< 2000

0.9 [0.7, 1.2]

0.473

0.7 [0.5, 0.9]

0.007

1 [0.7, 1.4]

0.802

0.6 [0.4, 0.8]

0.003

Breastfeeding initiation after birth

Immediately after birth

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

Ref

< 1 h of birth

0.9 [0.8]

0.052

1 [0.9, 1.1]

0.845

1 [0.9, 1.2]

0.941

1 [0.9, 1.2]

0.997

> 1 h of birth

0.68 [0.6, 0.8]

0.000

0.7 [0.6, 0.8]

0.000

0.6 [0.5, 0.7]

0.000

0.8 [0.7, 0.9]

0.001