The effectiveness of booklet-based health education on exclusive breastfeeding knowledge among pregnant women

In 2021, data from Lambunu I Primary Health Center showed that only 62.3% of infants under six months of age received exclusive breastfeeding. This coverage remains below the national target of 100%. Improving maternal knowledge during pregnancy is essential to increasing exclusive breastfeeding practices. This study aimed to examine the effect of booklet-based breastfeeding education on pregnant women’s knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding in the service area of Lambunu I Primary Health Center, Bolano District, Parigi Moutong Regency. A quasi-experimental study design was employed. The study population consisted of 140 pregnant women attending Lambunu I Primary Health Center. A total of 45 respondents were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted, with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test used to assess changes in knowledge before and after the intervention. Prior to the intervention, most pregnant women demonstrated moderate knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding (48.9%), while 26.7% had poor knowledge and only 24.4% had good knowledge. Post-intervention analysis showed a statistically significant improvement in knowledge following booklet-based education, with a Wilcoxon test p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05). Booklet-based breastfeeding education significantly improved pregnant women’s knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding in the Lambunu I Primary Health Center area. Lambunu I Primary Health Center is encouraged to adopt breastfeeding booklets as an educational tool for midwives in providing antenatal education to pregnant women and the wider community to increase exclusive breastfeeding coverage.