Breast Feeding Practices among Working Mothers Presenting in Immunization Clinic of Tertiary Care hospital in Nepal

Abstract

Background
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is strongly recommended by the World Health Organization for optimal infant growth, immunity, and survival. However, its practice remains suboptimal, particularly among working women, due to employment-related constraints. In Nepal, where female workforce participation is increasing, balancing employment with breastfeeding continues to be challenging. This study aimed to assess breastfeeding practices among working mothers and identify factors influencing exclusive breastfeeding in Nepal.
Methods
A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 working mothers with children aged 6-24 months attending the immunization center of Kathmandu Medical College from August 2024 to August 2025. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire through consecutive sampling. Analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were applied, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results
Among working mothers, 77.3% practiced exclusive breastfeeding. Among those who did not, the main barriers were lack of privacy and absence of childcare facilities, each reported by 21.3%. Significant associations were observed between exclusive breastfeeding and maternal knowledge regarding recommended breastfeeding duration (p = 0.001) and bonding (p = 0.011), availability of workplace nurseries (p = 0.018), and ability to breastfeed at work (p = 0.004). Mothers able to breastfeed at work had higher exclusive breastfeeding rates than those who could not (87% vs 67.1%).
Conclusions
Maternal knowledge and workplace support are key determinants of exclusive breastfeeding among working mothers.