Table 3 Summarized mothers’ attitudes about EBF
Attitude variables | Tsedeke [26] et al., Ethiopia 220 | Girard [28] et al. Kenya 148 | Mohamed [29] et al., Kenya 281 | Alamirew [30] et al. Ethiopia 384 | Asfaw [33] et al. Ethiopia | Wana [37] et al. Ethiopia 351 | Ballo [38] et al. Ethiopia 384 | Tadele [39] et al. Ethiopia N = 314 | Total % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Giving breast milk for a newborn immediately within one hour (early initiation) is important? | |||||||||
 Strongly agree |  |  |  | 48 (12.5%) |  |  |  |  | 12.5 |
 Agree |  |  |  | 63 (16.4%) |  |  |  |  | 16.4 |
 Disagree |  |  |  | 182 (42.1%) |  |  |  |  | 42.1 |
 Strongly disagree |  |  |  | 92 (24%) |  |  |  |  | 24.0 |
2. Discarding the first milk or colostrum is important? | |||||||||
 Strongly agree | 0.00% |  |  | 55 (14.3%) |  |  |  | 0.00% | 5.9 |
 Agree | 78 (35.45%) |  |  | 90 (23.4%) |  |  |  | 125 (39.89%) | 31.9 |
 Neutral | 2 (0.91%) |  |  | 130 (33.9%) |  |  |  | 0.00% | 14.3 |
 Disagree | 140 (63%) |  |  | 109 (28.4%) |  |  |  | 189 (60.29)% | 47.7 |
3. Only breast milk may not be sufficient for 3 months’ child? | |||||||||
 Agree |  |  | 153 (54.4%) | 56 (14.6%) |  |  |  |  | 31.4 |
 Disagree |  |  | 108 (38.4%) | 87 (22.6%) |  |  |  |  | 24.0 |
 Strongly disagree |  |  | 0.00% | 150 (39.1%) |  |  |  |  | 22.5 |
 Neutral |  |  | 20 (7.1%) | 91 (23.7%) |  |  |  |  | 16.6 |
4. Do you think of starting complementary foods before 6 months is important? | |||||||||
  Strongly agree |  |  |  | 46 (12%) |  |  |  |  | 8.8 |
 Agree |  |  |  | 61 (15.9%) |  |  |  |  | 15.9 |
 Disagree |  |  |  | 169 (44%) |  |  |  |  | 44.0 |
 Strongly disagree |  |  |  | 108 (28.1%) |  |  |  |  | 28.1 |
5. What do you prefer to feed your baby for the first 6 months? | |||||||||
 Breast milk alone | 162 (73.64%) |  |  | 92 (24%) |  |  |  |  | 42.0 |
 Breast milk with formula | 5 (2.27%) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0.8 |
 Breast milk with cow milk | 50 (22.72%) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8.2 |
 Others | 3 (1.37%) |  |  | 292 (76%) |  |  |  |  | 48.8 |
7. Do you Believe that EBF is beneficial to the Childs? | |||||||||
 Agree | 192 (87.27%) |  | 267 (95%) |  |  |  |  |  | 91.6 |
 Disagree | 28 (12.73%) |  | 11 (4%) |  |  |  |  |  | 7.7 |
 Neutral |  |  | 3 (1%) |  |  |  |  |  | 0.5 |
8. The age of the mother influences her ability to EBF? | |||||||||
 Agree |  |  | 211 (75%) |  |  |  |  |  | 75.0 |
 Disagree |  |  | 41 (14.6%) |  |  |  |  |  | 14.6 |
 Neutral |  |  | 29 (10.32%) |  |  |  |  |  | 10.3 |
9. Breastfed babies are healthier than fed babies? | |||||||||
 Agree |  |  | 234 (83.3%) |  |  |  | 337 (87.7%) | 182 (58%) | 74.1 |
 Disagree |  |  | 31 (11%) |  |  |  | 45 (11.76%) | 79 (25.1%) | 15.2 |
 Neutral |  |  | 16 (5.6) |  |  |  | 3 (0.8%) | 53 (16.9%) | 7.0 |
10. Breast milk is more easily digested than formula? | |||||||||
 Agree |  |  | 228 (81.1%) |  |  |  |  |  | 81.1 |
 Disagree |  |  | 34 (12%) |  |  |  |  |  | 12.0 |
 Neutral |  |  | 19 (6.7% |  |  |  |  |  | 6.7 |
11. Do you think EBF prevent pregnancy? | |||||||||
 Agree |  |  |  |  |  | 193 (55%) |  |  | 55.0 |
 Disagree |  |  |  |  |  | 132 (37.6%) |  |  | 37.6 |
 Don’t know |  |  |  |  |  | 26 (7.4%) |  |  | 7.4 |
12. Do you think breastfeeding limits activity? | |||||||||
 Agree |  |  |  |  |  | 53 (15%) |  |  | 15.0 |
 Disagree |  |  |  |  |  | 298 (85%) |  |  | 85.0 |
 Don’t know |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  | 0.0 |
13. Do you think BF has a relation with pain and Cancer? | |||||||||
 Agree |  |  |  |  |  | 38 (10.8%) |  |  | 10.8 |
 Disagree |  |  |  |  |  | 202 (57.6%) |  |  | 57.6 |
 Neutral |  |  |  |  |  | 111 (31.6%) |  |  | 31.6 |
14. Formula feeding is more convenient than breastfeeding? | |||||||||
 Agree |  |  |  |  |  |  | 176 (45.87%) |  | 45.8 |
 Disagree |  |  |  |  |  |  | 201 (52.27%) |  | 52.2 |
 Neutral |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7 (1.87%) |  | 1.8 |
15. Does breastfeeding increases mother-infant bonding? | |||||||||
 Agree |  |  |  |  |  |  | 187 (48.6%) |  | 48.6 |
 Disagree |  |  |  |  |  |  | 130 (33.92%) |  | 33.8 |
 Neutral |  |  |  |  |  |  | 67 (17.62%) |  | 17.4 |
16. Women need adequate food for EBF for 6 months? | |||||||||
 Agree |  | 62 (42%) |  |  |  |  |  |  | 42.0 |
 Disagree |  | 86 (58%) |  |  |  |  |  |  | 58.0 |
 Neutral |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
17. Women who EBF for 6 months will have problems? | |||||||||
 Agree |  | 86 (58%) |  |  |  |  |  |  | 58.0 |
 Disagree |  | 62 (42%) |  |  |  |  |  |  | 42.0 |
18. Infants, that EBF for 6 months will have problems? | |||||||||
 Agree |  | 76 (51.4%) |  |  |  |  |  |  | 51.4 |
 Disagree |  | 72 (48.6%) |  |  |  |  |  |  | 48.6 |
19. Do you think that EBF is better than artificial feeding? | |||||||||
 Yes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 205 (73%) | 73.0 |
 No |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 67 (23.8%) | 23.8 |
 Don’t know |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9 (3.2%) | 3.2 |
20. Do you agree that only EBF is enough for a child for up to 6 months? | |||||||||
 Agree |  | 34 (23%) |  |  |  |  |  | 186 (59.3%) | 47.6 |
 Disagree |  | 114 (77%) |  |  |  |  |  | 128 (40.7%) | 52.3 |
21. Why do you encourage exclusive breastfeeding? | |||||||||
 Prevent infection and infant death* |  |  |  |  | 421 (68.1%) |  |  |  | 68.1 |
 Improve infant’s strength* |  |  |  |  | 228 (36.9%) |  |  |  | 36.9 |
 Cost-effective* |  |  |  |  | 121 (19.6%) |  |  |  | 19.6 |
22. Do you encourage mothers to EBF their infant? | |||||||||
 Yes |  |  |  |  | 618 (97.5%) |  |  |  | 97.5 |
 No |  |  |  |  | 16 (2.5%) |  |  |  | 2.5 |