Analysis of factors influencing exclusive breastfeeding at the Sei Berombang Labuhanbatu Health Center

Exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of a baby's life is a critical practice that provides many health benefits. This study aims to identify the factors that affect exclusive breastfeeding at the Sei Berombang Labuhanbatu Health Center. The research method used was quantitative with a descriptive approach and associative analysis, involving 70 respondents of mothers with children under three years old. The study's results showed that the mother's age, education level, employment status, knowledge, positive attitudes, and family support significantly influenced breastfeeding decisions. The P-values found were 0.045 for age, 0.012 for education level, 0.038 for job status, 0.002 for knowledge, 0.008 for positive attitudes, and 0.005 for family support. Mothers' understanding of the benefits of breastfeeding had the highest odds ratio (3.3), indicating that mothers with good knowledge were 3.3 times more likely to provide exclusive breastfeeding. These findings emphasize the need for educational interventions and social support to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding for mothers' and babies' health and improve the community's quality of life.