Early Initiation of Breastfeeding Among Mothers Delivering at Kangundo Level 4 Hospital, Machakos County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to determine the timing of breastfeeding initiation among mothers delivering at Kangundo Level 4 Hospital in Machakos County, Kenya, given the continued concern over delayed initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour after birth. A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 220 mothers who had recently delivered at Kangundo Level 4 Hospital. Participants were purposively selected according to the eligibility criteria of the original study, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered during the early postpartum period. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were used to analyse the timing of breastfeeding initiation. Of the 220 mothers, 88 (40.0%) initiated breastfeeding within 30 minutes of delivery, 60 (27.3%) initiated breastfeeding after 30 minutes but within one hour, and 67 (30.5%) initiated breastfeeding more than one hour after delivery, while five (2.3%) did not provide a response. Overall, 148 mothers (67.3%) initiated breastfeeding within the first hour. Although approximately two-thirds of mothers initiated breastfeeding within the recommended first hour, delayed initiation remained substantial. The study recommends strengthening immediate postpartum breastfeeding support, promoting early skin-to-skin contact, and providing practical assistance to mothers immediately after delivery, particularly where maternal or newborn complications occur. The findings provide facility-level evidence that can inform improvements in maternity-care practices and breastfeeding-support interventions and contribute to efforts to promote timely breastfeeding initiation in Kangundo Level 4 Hospital and similar healthcare settings.