Maternal Nutritional Practices and Associated Factors Among Breastfeeding Mothers in Jimma Town, Ethiopia: A...

Adequate maternal nutrition during lactation is essential for maintaining maternal health and supporting optimal infant growth. Evidence from Ethiopia indicates that breastfeeding women are vulnerable to poor dietary intake due to socioeconomic constraints, limited nutrition knowledge, and cultural food practices. This study aimed to assess maternal nutritional practices and associated factors among breastfeeding mothers in Jimma Town, Southwest Ethiopia.

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2023 to June 2024 among breastfeeding mothers. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire, including socio-demographic characteristics, household economic status, dietary practices, nutrition counseling, and minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W). Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with good maternal nutritional practice. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported, and statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05.

Good maternal nutritional practice was associated with higher maternal education (secondary: AOR = 5.4, 95% CI: 1.69-17.56; college and above: AOR = 11.4, 95% CI: 3.13-41.73), being married (AOR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.14-3.25), maternal age 26-35 years (AOR = 3.2, 95% CI: 1.29-7.95), higher household income ( > 6000 ETB; AOR = 3.58, 95% CI: 1.65-7.76), and husbands employed in private business (AOR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.10-4.35). Positive dietary behaviors including consuming ≥ 3 meals per day (AOR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.33-2.97), dietary diversity ≥ 5 food groups (AOR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.16-3.35), absence of food taboos (AOR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.11-2.80), and consuming additional meals during lactation (AOR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.28-0.87) were also associated with better nutritional practices. Conversely, large family size ( ≥ 4 members), lack of nutrition counseling, and daily labor occupation were negatively associated.

This study identified several key determinants of nutritional practices among breastfeeding mothers, including educational level, maternal occupation, maternal age, marital status, household monthly income, family size, husband's occupation, average meal frequency per day, changes in food intake during lactation, food taboos, dietary diversity score, and receipt of nutrition counseling. Strengthening nutrition education and counseling, improving household economic empowerment, and addressing cultural food taboos are essential to improve maternal dietary practices during lactation.