ABSTRACT
Background: Global Public Health recommends that infants should receive only breastfeeding for first 6 months of life for their optimal growth and development. This study was done to find the rate of exclusive breast feeding and other feeding practices in children up to 6 months of age.Methods: A hospital based longitudinal study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital for a period of one year. Data from 158 mothers who were admitted for safe confinement was collected using structured questionnaire which was administered at every monthly follow up visit following delivery till first six months. Data included socio-demographic factors, psychosocial factors, breastfeeding details, maternal and infant factors. Data was entered in MS-Excel and analysed on SPSS version 18 software.Results: About 82.9% mothers had the knowledge about benefits of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding was initiated within one hour in 74% babies but exclusive breastfeeding for first six months was given only in 42.4% babies. Pre-lacteal feeds were given only in 3.2% babies. Early complementary feeds were started in 57.6% predominantly with cereal based diet. Perceived insufficiency of milk (30.3%) was the major reason mentioned for starting early complementary feeds.Conclusions: There is a wide gap between the knowledge and practice of exclusive breastfeeding. The importance of exclusive breastfeeding should be reinforced at every immunization visit so as to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding.
ABSTRACT
Background: Breast milk contains all the nutrients an infant needs in the first six months of life. After 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), WHO recommends infants should receive complementary foods. Only less than half of infants in India initiate breastfeeding within an hour and just about half are exclusively breastfed until 6 months. We conducted this study on various knowledge and practices for successful exclusive breast feeding.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted with pretested and prestructured questionnaire on mothers of children in age group of 6 moths to 5 years.Results: Only 18 (21.7%) are working, 10 (12%) are illiterate and 7 (8.4%) are graduate. All of the mothers have heard about EBF. Mothers with correct knowledge of colostrums feeding being beneficial for baby (0.006), prelacteal feeding being harmful to baby (0.0003), knowledge of continuing EBF when baby is sick (0.00002), education (0.00015), when to start complementary feeding(0.001), institutional delivery (0.00002), when latching explained by nurses (0.0116), those who practiced burping (0.017), were significant for EBF for 6 months. Only 42 (50.6%) of mothers fed colostrum to their babies.Conclusions: In this study it was seen that mothers with knowledge for different aspects of breast feeding had more chance of successful EBF. Female literacy was found out to be a strong indicator for successful EBF and also a indicator for colostrum feeding in future pregnancy. Special attention to be given to raise awareness of family members, specially mother in law so that complementary feeding can be started at 6 months.
ABSTRACT
Background: Breast feeding and colostrum is the first birthright of every newborn. It is the least expensive, safe, healthiest, natural feed that can be given very easily to any newborn baby for proper physiological growth and psychological development. Exclusive Breast feeding is a term used to define the process by which only breast milk is given to the new born till the first six months of life. Early initiation of breast feeding is very important in reducing infant morbidity and mortality. Rate of exclusive breast feeding is only 35% world-wide and complementary feeding is not started timely. Objective: To know the current situation of exclusive breast feeding, problems encountered by lactating mothers, factors affecting exclusive breast feeding and complementary feeding. Material and Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 200 mothers having children less than 2 years of age attending pediatrics OPD, Gynecology & obstetrics OPD and postpartum ward of Mayo Institute of Medical Sciences, Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. The information about subjects’ demography and practices towards breast feeding were collected from the mother on structured proforma. Result: 200 lactating mothers were included in the study. Majority of mothers are from age group 24-29 years ie 105 (52.5%).out of 200 babies 110 are female and 90 are male and 20 (10%) lactating mothers initiated breastfeeding within 1 hours of delivery. Majority of mothers 102 (51%) initiated breastfeeding within 1-6 hours and only 46.5% babies were exclusive breastfed upto 6 months. 89% of mothers given colostrum to their babies. 47% of mothers given pre-lacteals to babies and formula milk (23%) was the common pre-lacteals followed by cow’s milk (11%). Only 49.3% children were started complementary feeding between 6-9 months. 45% do not encountered any problem during breastfeeding. 55% were having some problem during feeding. 20% mothers were having feeling of insufficient milk secretion followed by 12.5% not knowing about time and frequency of feeding. Conclusion: There were many demographic, social-economic factors and literacy of mother affecting exclusive breastfeeding. Breast feeding is almost universal in India but the rate of early initiation of breast feeding and exclusive breastfeeding are very low. Several factors can be attributed on the breast feeding practices. Social awareness programs, benefits of breast feeding and mass education of family regarding feeding practices should be started to promote exclusive breast feeding and complementary feeding.
ABSTRACT
Breastfeeding practices play an important role in reducing child mortality and morbidity. This study was aimed to describe the breastfeeding practices prevalent in urban slum area. A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2011 to December 2011 in slum region catering urban health training center (UHC) that is attached to a government medical college, Solapur, Maharashtra. All mothers having child 0 to 24 months included in the study, 594 women were identified using universal sampling (inclusion and exclusion criteria were used) and data was collected using pretested questionnaire on breastfeeding practices. Dependent variable was breastfeeding practices including exclusive breastfeeding. Analysis was done with SPSS version 16. It was found that More than half (70.2%) infants were exclusively breast fed (EBF) up to six months of age. Pre-lacteal feeds were given to 44.9% infants while colostrum was not given to 16.5% infants. Practice of EBF was found to be significantly associated with age of mother, type of family and education of mother.This study emphasizes the need for breastfeeding intervention programs especially forthe mother during antenatal and postnatal check-ups and practices like discarding the colostrum and pre-lacteal feed, late initiation of breastfeeding are still widely prevalent and need to be addressed.