Factors Affecting Breastfeeding Practices under Lockdown during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Chanodom Piankusol, Wachiranun Sirikul, Krongporn Ongprasert and Penprapa Siviroj
Additional contact information
Chanodom Piankusol: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Wachiranun Sirikul: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Krongporn Ongprasert: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Penprapa Siviroj: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-11

Abstract: A COVID-19 lockdown and restrictive order has had a large impact on the lives of people. This cross-sectional study was conducted to identify factors affecting breastfeeding among mothers living in Thailand during the lockdown. Data were collected from 903 mothers with infants ages 0–12 months from 17 July 2020 to 17 October 2020 after the first nationwide COVID-19 lockdown period by an online platform and interview questionnaire survey. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between the effect of lockdown and breastfeeding practices with potential confounder adjustment including maternal age, ethnicity, newborn age <6 months, family income below $16,130 per annum, education below undergraduate level, and working status. Mothers changed breastfeeding practices in this period ( n = 39, 4.32%) including having changed from exclusive breastfeeding to combined breastfeeding with formula milk ( n = 22, 2.44%), and having reduced the frequency when compared to before the pandemic ( n = 13, 1.44%). The associated factors of changing breastfeeding practices were “contact with healthcare services” (aOR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.96, p = 0.04), “infant feeding support from health personnel” (aOR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.16 to 1.94, p = 0.035), and “lack family support and help with feeding your baby after lockdown” (aOR = 7.04, 95% CI 1.92 to 25.84, p = 0.003). In conclusion, this study showed a slight decrease in breastfeeding in the sampled mothers during the COVID-19 lockdown in Thailand. A long-term national surveillance system for maintenance of breastfeeding should be established. Health care service interventions and additional information are needed to support mothers and families for breastfeeding during pandemics.

Keywords: COVID-19; lockdown; breastfeeding; infant feeding support; health care service contact; Thailand (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/16/8729/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/16/8729/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:16:p:8729-:d:617079

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().