Trends of breast feeding; current assessment

ABSTRACT

To carry out an assessment of breast feeding practice in an urban setting. DESIGN: Cross sectional descriptive study. This study was conducted in two teaching hospitals of Rawalpindi. These were the Holy Family Hospital HFH and Rawalpindi General Hospital [RGH]. January 1998 to April 1998. 200 mothers who had their babies admitted in the paediatric department of these hospitals were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. It was found that alt least 95% mothers started breast-feeding right at birth out of these 33% discontinued breast feeding before four months. 38% of the women who discontinued breast feeding [n=64] explained that they had not received proper guidance or counseling at the hands of health personnel. 60% babies were given some pre lacteal feed. The study emphasizes the need for proper counseling in order to prevent early termination of breast feeding along with proper health education to discourage the habit of pre lacteal feeding and proper nursing attention to be provided right after birth