Factors Associated with an Inadequate Volume of Expressed Milk Among Mothers of Preterm and Low Birth Weight Neonates Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units of Government Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Figures & data

Table 1 Socio-Cultural Characteristics Among Mothers of Preterm and LBW Neonates Admitted to the NICU of Government Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020 (n=12)

Variables	Response Category	Frequency (%)
Maternal age	18–30 years	76(60.3)
	31–45 years	50(39.7)
Parity	I	48(38.7)
	II	42(33.9)
	III	17(13.7)
	IV	17(13.7)
Educational level	Has no formal education	17(13.7)
	1–8 grade	37(29.8)
	9–12 grade	47(37.9)
	Above 12 grade	23(18.6)
Occupation	Merchant	15(12.1)
	Housewife	64(51.6)
	Government employer	12(9.7)
	Private-sector employer	23(18.5)
	Daily laborer	8(6.5)
	Jobless	2(1.6)
Gets support from family when express milk	Yes	94(75.8)
	No	30(24.2)
Has ANC follow up	Yes	96(77.4)
	No	28(22.6)
Get advice on BF during ANC follow up	Yes	54(56.2)
	No	42(43.8)
Get advice on BME during ANC follow up	Yes	16(16.7)
	No	80(83.3)
Get advice on BME from NICU staff	Yes	9(7.3)
	No	115(92.7)
Know that breast milk is more important than other milk (formula milk, cow milk) for your baby	Yes	121(97.6)
	No	3(2.4)
Know the benefits of colostrum	Yes	85(68.5)
	No	39(31.5)
Method used to express milk	Hand expression	91(73.4)
	Hand expression and manual pump	17(13.7)
	Hands-on pump and hand expression	7(5.65)
	Manual pump	7(5.65)
	Hands-on pump	2(1.6)
Get instruction/support on the method of choice	Yes	39(31.7)
	No	84(68.3)
Get instruction on the method of choice from:	Health care worker	20(51.3)
	Family	5(12.8)
	Mother of another baby	14(35.9)
The time they stay once start expressing	<30 minutes	82(66.1)
	30 minutes	27(21.8)
	>30 minutes	15(12.1)
Provided guideline/picture/video that shows techniques of breast milk expression by HCW	Yes	3(2.4)
	No	121(97.6)

Table 2 Maternal Comfort Data Among Mothers of Preterm and LBW Neonates Admitted to NICU of Government Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020

Variables	Response Category	Frequency (%)
Place where they always express breast	Bedside	94(75.8)
	Bedroom prepared for mothers	30(24.2)
Comfortable when express breast	Yes	26(21.0)
	No	98(79.0)
What makes them uncomfortable when express?	Incision pain	17(17.3)
	Worry about the health status of the baby	22(22.4)
	The physical environment of NICU	31(31.6)
	Pain at the tip of the breast	17(17.3)
	Others	11(11.3)
What makes them comfortable when express milk	Back massage	2(3.6)
	Apply warmth to breast	53(96.4)
Give KMC for your baby	Yes	39(31.5)
	No	85(68.5)
Frequency of KMC	Intermittently	38(97.4)
	Continuously	1(2.6)

Table 3 Neonatal Characteristics of Preterm and LBW Neonates Admitted to the NICU of Government Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020 (n=124)

Variables	Response Category	Frequency (%)
Birth weight	Extremely low birth weight	2(1.6)
	Very low birth weight	61(49.2)
	Low birth weight	61(49.2)
Mode of delivery	SVD	84(67.7)
	C/S	40(32.3)
Postnatal age of the neonate	Early neonatal period	38(30.6)
	Late neonatal period	86(69.4)
Health status of the baby	Stable	67(54.0)
	Fair	38(30.7)
	Critical	19(15.3)
Is the baby able to suck?	Yes	68(54.8)
	No	56(45.2)

Figure 1 Psychological data among mothers of preterm and low birth weight neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of government hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020 (n=124).

Figure 2 Pregnancy-related data among mothers of preterm and low birth weight neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of government hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020 (n=124).

Figure 3 Breast milk expression practice among mothers of preterm and low birth weight neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of government hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020 (n=124).

Table 4 Multivariate Results of Factors Associated with the Volume of Expressed Milk Among Mothers of Preterm and LBW Admitted to the NICU of Government Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2020 (n=124)

Variables		Volume of Milk Expressed		Odds Ratio
		Adequate	Inadequate	AOR
Health status of the baby	Stable	45	22	0.24(0.07,0.86)*
	Fair	25	13	0.18(0.04,0.76)*
	Critical	7	12	1
Worry about the volume of milk	Yes	33	35	3.51(1.40,8.83)**
	No	49	7	1
Worry about the health status of the baby	Yes	27	29	3.88(1.61,9.35)**
	No	55	13	1
Frequency of milk expression per day	8–12 times	61	13	1
	<8 times	21	29	4.10(1.70,9.90)**

Notes: *Statistically significant (p-value <0.05); **Statistically significant (p-value <0.01); 1= reference category.