Predictors of Exclusive Breastfeeding in the First Six Months: A Cross-sectional Study in Ardabil, Northwest of Iran

Breast milk provides essential and irreplaceable nutrients for an infant’s growth and development. Consequently, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of an infant’s life is important for their health and survival.  This study aimed to determine predictors of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months among infants in Iran. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 379 lactating women with infants >6 months. Participants attended health care centers in Ardabil city, Iran during 2020. Information about mothers and infants was collected via a questionnaire. Differences in characteristics of women that engaged in exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months (EBF-6) compared to no exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months (NEBF-6) was analyzed via T-tests. Predictors of exclusive breastfeeding among the infants were examined via logistic regression analyses. There were 196 respondents (51.7%) categorized into EBF-6 compared to 183 respondents (48.3%) categorized into NEBF-6. A greater number of women in EBF-6 compared to NEBF-6 were housewives (p=0.034). Additionally, the time of the first breastfeeding after birth was earlier for EBF-6 compared to NEBF-6 (p<0.001). Among the variables related to exclusive breastfeeding, only the predictive power of breastfeeding in the first half hour after birth was confirmed (p=0.002). This finding suggested that breastfeeding soon after birth led to an increase of almost 6 times in the probability of engaging in exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Breastfeeding soon after birth appears to strongly influence the likelihood of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Considering the important role of this practice in maintaining and ensuring maternal and child health, early initiation of breastfeeding after birth should be prioritized.