Cross-sectional Study

Background: UNICEF and WHO recommend colostrum as newborns ’ perfect food that should be initiated within the first hour after birth. Objective: To assess colostrum avoidance practices and associated factors among mothers of children aged <24 months in Raya Kobo district, North-eastern Ethiopia. Methods: A quantitative community-based cross-sectional study supplemented by qualitative method was used. Descriptive statistics, binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used in the statistical analysis. Results: Colostrum avoidance was practiced by 13.5 % (95 % confidence interval: 10.99–16.33) of mothers having children aged <24 months. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, giving birth at home, mother-heading households, lack of awareness on the advantages of colostrum and late ini-tiation of breastfeeding remained statistically significant factors associated with colostrum avoidance practices. Conclusion: Promoting institutional delivery, timely initiation of breastfeeding and creating awareness on the advantages of colostrum feeding are recommended interventions to reduce colos-trum avoidance