Determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding among postpartum mothers in the Tamale metropolis, Ghana

Background and objectives: Early initiation of breastfeeding which is breastfeeding within the first hour after birth is highly recommended to promote the establishment of breastfeeding, and consequently survival and proper growth of a child. However, the prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding in Tamale Metropolis keeps declining. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the determinants of early initiation of breastfeeding in the Tamale metropolis. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study design entailing a consecutive sampling technique was used to select 370 mothers with their infant pairs aged 0-6 months attending child welfare clinics at the Tamale Central and West Hospitals, Tamale Reproductive Child Health Unit and the Tamale Teaching hospital in Ghana. Pearson Chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses in Stata aided to find associations and to establish the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of delayed breastfeeding initiation. Results: Prevalence of early initiation of breastfeeding was 77.8%. Mothers who had primary and secondary education were 82% (AOR=0.126, 95% CI:0.04-0.38, p=