Feeding practices, nutritional status and associated factors of lactating women in Samre Woreda, South Eastern Zone of Tigray, Ethiopia

Table 2 Maternal health and feeding practices of the study participants (n=400) in Samre Woreda from March-April, 2011

Maternal characteristics	n	%
Age of breast feeding child
< 6 months	150	37.5
6-11 months	90	22.5
12-24 months	142	35.4
> 24 months	18	4.4
Number of gravidity
≤ 2 pregnancies	140	35
3-6 pregnancies	216	54.1
>7 pregnancies	44	10.9
Practiced Exclusive Breast Feeding
Yes	319	79.8
No	81	20.2
Last child’s sex
Male	202	50.5
Female	198	49.5
Number of ANC attendance
No ANC visit	32	8
1-3 times	186	46.5
4-6 times	161	40.3
≥ 7 times	21	5.2
Avoid eating any food during lactation
Yes	3	0.7
No	397	99.3
Eat any additional foods during lactation
Yes	115	28.8
No	285	71.2
Change in food intake during lactation
No change	285	71.2
Frequency of meal	32	8
Amount of meal	51	12.8
Both frequency and amount	32	8
Number of meals/day
< 3 meals	108	27
≥ 3 meals	292	73

ISSN: 1475-2891