Factors associated with prelacteal feeding in the rural population of northwest Ethiopia: a community cross-sectional study

Table 3 Early neonatal feeding practice of children (6–24 months) in the rural population of northwest Ethiopia, 2015

Variables	Frequency	Percent
Prelacteal feed given
Yes	220	26.8
No	602	73.2
Type of prelacteal food given (n = 220)
Raw butter	85	38.6
Plain water	54	24.5
Ersho^a	21	9.6
Sugar	26	11.8
Cow milk	11	5.0
Other^b	23	10.5
Reason for giving prelacteal food (n = 220)
Tradition	163	74.1
To prevent dehydration	20	9.1
Other^c	37	16.8
Colostrum given to the child
Yes	435	52.9
No	387	47.1
Reason for discarding colostrum (n = 387)
Not good for the child	226	58.4
Other^d	161	41.6

^aErsho is a traditional baking soda prepared by heating the flour and mixing it with distilled water, ^bfruit juice and formula milk, ^cenriched and easier to digest than first breast milk, ^dtradition, relatives influence, newborn feels thirsty, colostrum’s yellow and thick appearance

ISSN: 1746-4358