Journal article

Early breastfeeding practices contribute to exclusive breastfeeding in Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Ethiopia (Nguyen, P.H., 2020. Maternal & Child Nutrition)

Topic(s): Breastfeeding, Research
Location: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, East Asia Pacific
Language(s): English
Audience: Program designers and implementers
Programs: Social and behavior change

Data from three impact evaluations of large-scale social and behavior change communication (SBCC) interventions in Bangladesh, Vietnam and Ethiopia were used to examine whether early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) and non-prelacteal feeding are associated with increased prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). Findings show that while EIBF did not impact EBF, non-prelacteal feeding was associated with higher odds of EBF; in all three countries, exposure to SBCC intervention affected breastfeeding practices. The results of this study demonstrate that while early breastfeeding practices influence EBF, SBCC interventions should simultaneously address early breastfeeding practices as well as sustained exclusive breastfeeding in order to be most effective.

 
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