Assessment of exclusive breastfeeding practice and related barriers: A hospital-based study

ABSTRACT

Background: The World Health Organization recommends the practice of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) of infants for the first 6 months after birth. It is the simplest, healthiest, and least expensive method that fulfills the infant’s nutritional requirement, and it plays an important role in reducing the child mortality and morbidity. Although breastfeeding is a common practice in India, most of the people do not properly understand the importance of the knowledge about breastfeeding how it should be given the timings, duration, correct techniques, and appropriate time of weaning mother’s milk. Objective: The objectives were to identify the prevalence of EBF, association with demographic characteristics, and reasons of nonadherence on EBF among the mothers of children <2 years of age. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried at the immunization clinic of Late Shri Lakhiram Agrawal Memorial Government Medical College, Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, for 2 months. Mothers who came to the immunization clinic for vaccination with infants aged <2 years were interviewed. A total of 412 mothers were included in this study. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 10.0 software. Results: Our study showed that the prevalence of EBF practice was 53.88%. Factors found significant to influence EBF practice are the type of family, time of initiation of breastfeeding, colostrums given, mother’s age, and education. Main barriers for EBF practice were found to be resumption of work, milk insufficiency, and too painful during feeding. Conclusion: Universally it is accepted that breast feeding is best for infants as well as for mothers. The prevalence of EBF is not satisfactory among mothers. This study is focused on an urgent need of educating the mothers to feed their newborn child in the first 30 min and continues it to the first 1/2 year age of the child without any external supplements. This study highlights the need to educate mothers regarding breastfeeding during their antenatal and postnatal checkup visits.