Sr. Mengistu, Zuryiash(RN, MSc)Getnet, Misrak2021-09-082023-11-062021-09-082023-11-062012-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/27833Background: Poor breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices, together with high rates of morbidity from infectious diseases are the prime proximate causes of malnutrition in the first two years of life. Objective: To assess optimal breast feeding practice and its associated factors in Dale woreda, Sidama zone, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional State. Method: Community based quantitative cross sectional study was done to assess optimal breast feeding practice and its associated factors. A total of 634 mother-infant pairs were selected using multistage cluster sampling technique from the kebles then census was conducted to get the sampling frame for selecting mother- infant pairs by simple random sampling technique. The study subjects in each kebles were selected using population proportion to size. This study was conducted in Dale woreda, which is one among the 10 woredas in Sidama zone, Southern Nations Nationalities and People‘s Region (SNNPR) from February to March 2012. Data collection was made using a house-to-house visit, and household was used as a target unit, and kebeles as blocks. The raw data was entered, cleaned and analyzed using statistical software SPSS version 16.0. Result The prevalence of initiation of breast feeding within one hour, exclusive breast feeding at 6 month and complimentary feeding timely at the age of 6 months was 517(83.7%),474(87.1%) and 504(88,9%) respectively. Initiation of breast feeding practice had a statistically significant negative association with ownership of living place (P=0.42, CI, (0.16, 0.97)). Exclusive breast feeding practice had statistically significant positive association with ownership of living place (AOR=3.50(1.26, 10.2)) and employment status (AOR=2.94, (1.24, 6.98)) and it had statistical negative relationship with maternal age. Complimentary breast feeding practice had a statistical positive relationship with PNC follow up (AOR=2.25(1.49, 3.37)) and ANC follow up (AOR=1.61(1.07, 2.42)). Conclusion Breastfeeding is a common practice in the woreda. This is an encouraging practice in this study area. Employed mothers were found to have less practice of optimal breastfeeding as compared to those who stayed at home and mothers who are dependent have less practice of optimal breast feeding than mothers who live in their house. Recommendation Working mothers should be encouraged by institutions and co-workers to promote optimal breastfeeding practice by arranging working hours, baby friendly initiative at work places. Further studies are proposed to ascertain effective intervention in the study area and the region at large.en-USBreast- feeding PracticeThesis