Exclusive Breast Feeding: Infant Feeding Pattern and Practices among Mothers in Santa Fe, Romblon

Abstract

If the following characteristics of respondents are taken into consideration: age, number of living children, marital status, income level, employment level, educational background, current feeding practices, and level of knowledge about the importance of EBF, it is hypothesized that these characteristics will have an impact on feeding among infants aged 0 to 6 months. A descriptive research employing a normative survey was conducted with a study population of 102 mothers from the Municipality of Santa Fe in the province of Romblon, after informed permission had been obtained. The following is the outcome: moms between the ages of 21 and 25 are the most prevalent, accounting for 39 percent of all respondents who use EBF. With more children in their household, the percentage of respondents who practice EBF increases. Additionally, 55 percent of respondents said that they are living with a partner, either married through a church wedding, civil marriage or in the state of cohabitation. Lower-income mothers (45 percent) practice EBF more frequently than mothers from other income classes. Mothers without a job are more likely to practice EBF (51 percent), while elementary graduate mothers are more likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding (63 percent). Forty-four (44) mothers out of one hundred and two (102) respondents are practicing exclusive breastfeeding, and at least 63 percent have revealed little knowledge about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding.