Assessment of awareness and feeding practices among mothers of infants under six months of age in an urban slum near Quetta

ABSTRACT

To assess the attitude, knowledge and feeding practices of mothers of infants below six months of age, in Killi Mohammed Shahi, Quetta. Cross - sectional descriptive study. The study was carried out at Killi Mohammed Shahi, an urban slum near Quetta, over a period of 6 months from June - December 2007. A total of 100 mothers, with children of age groups birth to 6 months were randomly selected from among a total of 150 identified mothers. Their knowledge, attitude and practices regarding breast feeding and weaning were determined by interviewing and observing the mothers in the area of Killi Mohammed Shahi, Quetta. Their education and socio economic status were also recorded. Different myths and beliefs were also recorded. A total of 100 mothers were interviewed for feeding practices. 30% were house wives and 70% were working women. Only 10% were exclusively breast fed for 6 month, 25% were exclusively breast fed after 1[st] month. Prelacteal foods were given to 90% of the infants. Commercial formulae were used by 42% of the mothers and the rest used other breast milk substitutes. It was concluded that knowledge, attitude and practices of breast feeding were not adequate due to different reasons, including lack of knowledge, about when and how to initiate breast feeding, different myths and belief, demands for household shores and economic reasons