Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Breastfeeding Among Mothers in Benghazi, Libya

Abstract

Abstract
Breastfeeding is fundamental to infant nutrition, protection against childhood illness, and maternal health. Despite established recommendations for early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding, inappropriate feeding practices continue to occur in many settings. Maternal knowledge and attitudes, cultural beliefs, family influences, and access to professional support may affect the extent to which recommended breastfeeding practices are followed. This study aimed to explore breastfeeding-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among mothers in Benghazi, Libya, and to identify areas of knowledge gaps and practices that may need further support. The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, beliefs, and practices of mothers in Benghazi, Libya, on breastfeeding, with particular emphasis on areas of inadequate knowledge and practice that might be amenable to support. This is a cross-sectional study conducted in the neonatal department of Benghazi Medical Center, Benghazi, Libya, from June to December 2024. The sample consisted of 305 mothers aged 20-45 years. We used a standardized questionnaire to collect information on maternal and neonatal characteristics, as well as mothers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding breastfeeding. Before rolling out the questionnaire to the full sample, we piloted it with 30 mothers to check that the questions were clear and measured what they were meant to. All data were analyzed in SPSS (version 26); findings are presented as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Participants had a mean age of 34.23 ± 3.13 years. Most mothers were well aware of breastfeeding's general benefits: 92.5% knew breast milk supplies the nutrients infants need, and 93.1% recognized its role in protecting against infection and disease. That said, several specific gaps emerged: only 30.8% correctly identified colostrum's protective function, and nearly two-thirds (65.2%) admitted they didn't know what it does. Awareness of breastfeeding's contribution to birth spacing was similarly low, at just 28.9%. Taken together, 58.76% of mothers demonstrated fair knowledge, 26.28% poor knowledge, and only 14.96% good knowledge. Regarding attitudes, 44.6% demonstrated a fair attitude, 43.3% a poor attitude, and only 12.1% a good attitude. Although 72.8% of mothers reported initiating breastfeeding within the first 24 hours after delivery, 52.5% reported giving pre-lacteal feeds, while 79.3% had not received advice from a lactation counsellor before initiating breastfeeding. Overall, 60.0% of mothers demonstrated poor breastfeeding practices, compared with 34.1% with fair practices and only 5.9% with good practices. The results showed that there is a significant gap between the general awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding and the effective implementation of the recommended breastfeeding practices among mothers in Benghazi. Knowledge of the nutritional and protective benefits of breast milk was generally good, but there were major gaps in knowledge about colostrum, birth spacing, breastfeeding technique, and timely initiation. High rates of pre-lacteal feeding and low utilization of professional lactation counseling are also areas needing attention. Improving access to trained lactation counselors, strengthening antenatal and early postnatal breastfeeding education, and engaging family members in breastfeeding support may help to tackle persistent misconceptions and promote healthier breastfeeding practices among mothers in Benghazi.