Breast feeding practice in an urban population of Tripoli, Libya

ABSTRACT

This study included 350 mothers from the urban community of Tripoli. 94.3% mothers had initiated breast-feeding for various periods, 47.9% of whom fed their children for less than one month and only 13.94% fed upto six months and above. Breast-feeding was positively associated with maternal factors like higher age [35 yeas and above] or parity [5 and above] non-schooling or non-working motherhood, low income group, and joint family system. However, prolonged duration of breast-feeding was associated maximum between 25 to 34 years by age and between 5 to 9 by parity. The main reasons for commencement of artificial feeding were insufficient breast milk [47.43%] and subsequent pregnancy [12.57%]