Timing of initiation of breastfeeding and its determinants at a tertiary hospital in Ghana: a cross-sectional study

Background Early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF), breastfeeding within first hour after birth, is known to have major benefits for both the mother and newborn. EIBF rates, however, tends to vary between and within countries. This study set out to determine the prevalence of EIBF at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi, Ghana, and to evaluate the determinants of EIBF and time to initiation of breastfeeding. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at the KATH postnatal wards between August and October 2014. Three hundred and eighty-two mothers delivering at KATH were recruited and data on time to initiation of breastfeeding, antenatal, delivery and immediate postnatal periods were collected. Data analyses using both binary and ordinal logistic regressions with stepwise elimination were used to determine the relationship between EIBF and time to initiation of breastfeeding on one side, and the maternal, pregnancy, delivery and neonatal associated factors. Results EIBF was done in 39.4% (95%CI: 34.3–44.5) of the newborns with breastfeeding initiated between 1 to 6 h for 19.7%, 6 to 11 h in 4.8%, 11 to 16 h in 4.8% and after 16 h in 28.5% of the deliveries. A higher number of antenatal care visits (AOR = 1.14, 95%CI: 1.04–1.25, p = 0.006), delivery by caesarean section (AOR = 0.07, 95%CI: 0.01–0.79, p = 0.031) and infant rooming-in with mother (AOR: 31.67, 95%CI: 5.59–179.43, p < 0.001) were significantly and independently associated with EIBF. Factors independently associated with longer time to initiation of breastfeeding were older maternal age (AOR = 1.04, 95%CI: 1.00–1.09, p = 0.039), Akan ethnicity (AOR = 1.92, 95%CI: 1.14–3.22, p = 0.014), first-born child (AOR = 2.06, 95%CI: 1.18–3.58, p = 0.011), mother rooming-in with newborn (AOR = 0.01. 95%CI: 0.00–0.02, p < 0.001), increasing fifth minute APGAR score (AOR = 0.73, 95%CI: 0.58–0.93, p = 0.010) and using prelacteals (AOR = 2.42, 95%CI: 1.34–4.40, p = 0.004). Conclusions The low EIBF rate and prolonged time to initiation of breastfeeding at a major tertiary health facility is a major concern. Key interventions will need to be implemented at KATH and possibly other tertiary healthcare facilities in Ghana and beyond to improve EIBF rate and time to breastfeeding.