An Interventional Study to Enumerate the Causes of Lactation Failure, its Prevention and Management

ABSTRACT

Background: Three quarters of the world’s population living in developing countries migrated from rural to an urban area.Since the health professionals are concentrated in the urban areas, the existing health services cater to only 20% of the ruralpopulation. Hence, there is an increased risk of bottle feeding in both urban and rural areas. There is a sharp decline in thepractice of breastfeeding and an increase in the number of infants being artificially fed. In India, there is a decrease in theincidence of exclusive breastfeeding.Aim: The aim of the study was to study an intensive educational program for mothers in the antenatal period, immediatepostpartum period and during follow-up for 4–5 months in a tertiary care institute, and to achieve an exclusive breastfeedingrate of 80% among the mothers and study the impact of the intervention program.Methodology: A prospective randomized study was done allocating the mothers into two groups – study and control group.Conclusion: Exclusive breastfeeding has shown a definite decline globally. The practice of breastfeeding is downbut definitely not out. Hence, it becomes our duty as health-care providers to teach mothers about the importance ofbreastfeeding. In the present study, even though a majority of mothers had adequate knowledge about breastfeeding,many of them did not practice what they knew. Hence, we should try to analyze the factors which hinder their breastfeedingpractice.