Effect of Breastfeeding Education and Support Intervention on Timely Initiation and Exclusive Breastfeeding

Women Development Army (WDA) leaders will function as peers for mothers in intervention group. There will be two visits during pregnancy and 8 visits postnatally. During pregnancy, WDA leaders will cover in detail the importance of EBF, feeding colostrum first, and discouraging prelacteal foods and encourage the mother to deliver at the nearby health center. During Postnatal visits, mothers will be observed positioning, attaching, and feeding the new-born, with appropriate feedback provided, solving any BF problems, encourage the mothers to continue exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, emphasize nutrition for sufficient breast milk to breastfeed successfully and hands-on guidance only when necessary.