THE PRACTICE OF BREASTFEEDING AMONG WOMEN: CHALLENGES AND MOTIVATIONS

Mayasah A.Sadiq; Alaa A.Salih; Najlaa Fawzi Jamil

doi:10.46903/gjms/24.1.2184

THE PRACTICE OF BREASTFEEDING AMONG WOMEN: CHALLENGES AND MOTIVATIONS

Mayasah A.Sadiq, Alaa A.Salih, Najlaa Fawzi Jamil

Abstract

Background: The decision to breastfeed is shaped by a mix of motivations and challenges. While the health, emotional, and economic benefits are strong motivators, women often face significant barriers—physical discomfort, societal stigma, workplace limitations, and lack of support. Strengthening healthcare guidance, creating supportive environments at work and in public spaces, and promoting awareness can help mothers sustain breastfeeding practices and maximize benefits for both mother and child. The aim of this study was to explore the breastfeeding practice among mothers and to identify the motivators and barriers influencing the initiation and duration of breastfeeding.

Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from February the 1st 2025 till April the 30th 2025, study setting was in the gynecology and obstetrics hospital and pediatric hospital, during a period of 6 months by interviewing among mothers attending in pediatric hospital and obstetric hospital for variable reasons using a constructed questionnaire of demography, practice barriers, motivators and duration of breastfeeding.

Results: Among 188 women of age 20-40 years half of them were college graduates, mostly housewives of middle income, two thirds of them were of nuclear families, two thirds of them were exclusively breastfeeding their infants, initiating within the 1st hour postdelivery in nearly half of them till one year, the main motivation was the nutritional benefits to their infant, the main physical challenge was painful nipple followed by decreased milk production, although nearly one third of working women complain from insufficient maternity leave, this was not significantly associated with duration of breast feeding.

Conclusion: Most of the participant mothers were exclusively breast feeding their infants , initiating the feeding within the 1st hour of delivery, mainly motivated by breast milk nutritional benefit, regardless the employment status they continued breastfeeding till one year.

Keywords

Breastfeeding practice; Challenges; Duration; Employment status; Initiation time; Motivations.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.46903/gjms/24.1.2184