ABSTRACT
Background: Bottle feeding is one of the preventable causes of morbidity and mortality in infants and young children. Children admitted in our hospital analyzed at our center and appropriate advice and guidance for cessation of bottle feeding was given. The objective of this study was to analyses the feeding pattern and the reasons for bottle feeding in children and to help mothers to try and give up bottle feeding and initiate breast feeding.Methods: Retrospective analysis of 200 children less than 2 years admitted to Shri B M Patil hospital for various illnesses was done. Children were divided into 2 groups mainly breast-fed children and bottle-fed group. Both groups were analysed with respect incidence of infection, reason for bottle feeding, age of introduction of bottle feeding, time taken by mother to give up bottle feeing and type of compatible feeding at the time of discharge.Results: All the mothers could give up bottle feeding in less than 7 days during the hospital stay. 81 mothers were able to initiate breastfeeding of which 4 mothers were able to exclusively breastfeed at the time of discharge. 66 mothers were not able to initiate breastfeeding.71% of children received help with drip-drip method of feeding. Breast refusal was the cause of bottle feeding in 40.13% (59/147) of babies.Conclusions: Bottle fed children were more prone to infections. All the mothers gave up bottle feeding within 1 week. Drip drop method was the most effective strategy for initiation of breastfeeding.