Table 2 Prevalence and association of delayed initiation of breastfeeding and non-exclusive breastfeeding with some selected background characteristics among children aged 0–23 months and 0–5 months, respectively, 2019-21

External environment factors

Region

< 0.001

p = 0.074

< 0.001

< 0.001

North

54.3

22.3

33

45.2

Central

70.3

25.5

33.4

46.9

East

56.3

23.7

34.9

57.6

Northeast

45.6

27.2

37.3

53.1

West

51.3

21.3

26.3

46.8

South

44

27.9

32.2

55.1

Place of residence

< 0.05

p = 0.380

p = 0.126

< 0.01

Urban

54.2

27.7

36.7

54.4

Rural

57.8

23.5

31.7

49.5

Demographic & socioeconomic characteristics

Maternal age at childbirth (years)

< 0.001

p = 0.528

p = 0.060

< 0.05

Less than 20

54.8

23.7

34.8

53.7

20–29

58

24.4

32.1

49.5

30+

54.5

32.5

33.7

48.2

Religion

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

Hindu

58.1

23.4

31.6

49.2

Others

52.3

29.1

38.2

56.2

Caste of mother

< 0.001

p = 0.118

< 0.01

< 0.01

SC

56.9

24.5

31.4

49.2

ST

52.4

22.7

25.1

39.9

OBC

59.8

24.5

32.9

51.2

Others

53.3

25.4

38.3

55.9

Wealth index

< 0.05

p = 0.469

p = 0.065

< 0.01

Poorest

58.7

23.8

32.4

49.1

Poor

59.4

24.5

32.4

49.1

Middle

55.8

22.7

30.4

50.5

Richer

54.2

23.4

36.6

56.5

Richest

55.4

29.7

33

49

Maternal education level

< 0.001

p = 0.107

< 0.05

p = 0.200

No education

61.2

27.1

34.7

50.3

Primary

57.4

25.2

32.5

55.2

Secondary and above

55.7

23.6

32.6

50.1

Maternal mass-media exposure

< 0.001

< 0.05

p = 0.084

p = 0.300

Not Exposed

61.6

26.1

34

52

Exposed

55.1

23.8

32.5

50.2

Pregnancy & birth-related characteristics

Desire of pregnancy

< 0.05

p = 0.640

p = 0.203

p = 0.238

Wanted then

56.7

24.4

32.7

50.5

Wanted later/ no more wanted

59.3

25.6

35.2

52.8

Preterm birth

< 0.001

< 0.01

p = 0.889

< 0.05

No

56.3

23.7

32.7

50.3

Yes

61.4

29.7

34.5

53.3

Sex of the child

p = 0.483

p = 0.503

p = 0.073

< 0.05

Male

56.7

24.3

33.9

51.9

Female

57.1

24.7

31.8

49.5

Maternal health service utilization

Number of ANC

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

4 + times

52.1

22.4

31.2

49

1–3 times

63.6

26.4

33.6

50.6

None

61.6

33.8

44.2

64.9

Place of delivery

p = 0.626

< 0.001

< 0.05

< 0.001

Institutional delivery

56.1

23.9

32.8

50.1

Delivery at home

64.6

30.5

34.3

56.6

Mode of delivery

< 0.001

p = 0.673

< 0.01

< 0.05

Non-Caesarean section

54.9

24.3

31.9

49.4

Caesarean section

63.5

25.1

36.1

54.5

Postnatal care services

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

< 0.001

No check

64.9

29.7

36.6

54.3

Doctor

53.5

23.3

32.6

50.9

Nurse/Midwife

57.8

23.2

31.1

48.5

Non-skilled provider

60

26.4

35.5

49.6

Total

56.9

24.5

32.9

50.7