Prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation in Guyana

Objective To assess the prevalence and factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding at Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). Methods This study used data from an institution‐based cross‐sectional study conducted at GPHC from July to September 2022. A structured pretested questionnaire was used to collect the data. A total of 1276 mothers were interviewed and provided data on early initiation of breastfeeding. Early initiation of breastfeeding was defined as mothers who breastfed their babies within the first hour after birth. We performed descriptive analyses for both the outcome and the independent variables. Logistic regression and backward selection procedure were used to assess factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding. Results The prevalence of early breastfeeding at GPHC was 27.8% (95%CI: 25.4–30.3). Mothers who were primigravida (AOR: 0.52; 95%CI: 0.36–0.75), who had urinary tract infections during pregnancy (AOR: 0.72; 95%CI: 0.52–0.99), and who delivered by caesarean section (AOR: 0.06; 95%CI: 0.03–0.11) were less likely to breastfeed their babies in the first hour after birth. Likewise, babies who were diagnosed with any health problems after birth (AOR: 0.34; 95%CI: 0.21–0.54) had a lesser chance to receive breastfeeding in the first hour after birth, compared with their counterparts. Conclusion Less than one‐third of mothers who delivered at GPHC breastfed their babies within the first hour after birth. Targeted intervention focuses on promoting early initiation of breastfeeding, immediate skin‐to‐skin contact between mothers and babies, timely diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections during pregnancy are essential to improve the prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding at GPHC.