IYCF Practices, Beliefs, and Influences in Tigray ... - Alive & Thrive

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Executive Summary Alive & Thrive Ethiopia undertook formative research to better understand the infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in communities in Tigray Region to inform the design of a program to improve exclusive breastfeeding and promote appropriate complementary feeding. The guiding questions for the Tigray formative research, conducted in early 2010, were the following: What are the beliefs and current practices for breastfeeding and complementary feeding of children in the study communities What key factors influence mothers and family members to adopt recommended IYCF practices Who influences mothers What is the current role of family and community members to support optimal infant and child feeding practices What is the current role of health extension workers (HEWs) and other health providers to support optimal infant and child feeding practices What is the Health Extension Program (HEP) currently doing to support child feeding in communities What opportunities exist to support frontline workers to optimize child feeding Prior to designing this formative study, A&T conducted a review of the existing substantial body of information concerning maternal nutrition, early initiation of breastfeeding, and exclusive breastfeeding in Ethiopia. Formative research, in the form of focus group discussions under the LINKAGES Project, provided additional information on child feeding practices that led to the development of Essential Nutrition Actions (ENA). Much of the existing information from the literature review focused on the initiation of breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices in a general sense. More detailed information was thus needed to fully understand the issues of IYCF practices in the project areas, and to identify barriers, facilitators, people, and approaches that can influence change. The findings from the formative research will contribute to the design of effective strategies for improving breastfeeding and, especially, complementary feeding practices for young children. Findings highlight the potential role of health and community workers to support this behavior change, contributing to efforts to reduce stunting among young children in Ethiopia. 1
Page 1 and 2: IYCF Practices, Beliefs, and Influe
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Abbreviations and
Page 5 and 6: Abbreviations and Acronyms ACIPH A&
Page 7: Acknowledgments Alive & Thrive ackn
Page 11 and 12: food insecurity throughout the comm
Page 13 and 14: 2. Rationale, Objectives and Resear
Page 15 and 16: Table 1: Study participants and dat
Page 17 and 18: 4. Findings 4.1 Breastfeeding and c
Page 19 and 20: Table 2: Foods thought to be best f
Page 21 and 22: Table 3: Maternal reports of comple
Page 23 and 24: The majority of mothers stated they
Page 25 and 26: Some mothers reported they had neve
Page 27 and 28: spoon. Others reported that they ha
Page 29 and 30: healthy. The majority of mothers me
Page 31 and 32: 4.6 Role of the HEP and opportuniti
Page 33 and 34: 5. Summary and Implications for Pro
Page 35: VCHPs acknowledged that most of the

IYCF Practices, Beliefs, and Influences in Tigray ... - Alive & Thrive

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