Patterns of breast feeding in children under two years of age in Bahawalpur

ABSTRACT

To find the patterns of breast feeding in children under two years of age in Bahawalpur. Design: An observational descriptive cross-sectional [prevalence] study. Two thousand five hundred mothers having children below two years of age attending Paediatric outpatient department in Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur. Main outcome measures: Prevalence of breast feeding in children below two years of age in Bahawalpur. Two thousand five hundred mothers were interviewed to find out patterns of feeding their children under two years of age. Colostrum was offered to 19.4% of newborns as first feed; 24.8% of mothers started breast feeding on the very first day while 4.2% did not breast feed at all. Majority of the women started breast feeding because of the family traditions. Eighty five percent of mothers continued breast feeding upto one year, 10% withdrew breast feeding before one year and 35% continued breast feeding their babies beyond infancy. Exclusive breast feeding prevalence was 30% with 25% at the age of b months. Five percent of mothers continued exclusive breast feeding' their children upto 1-2 years. Breast feeding prevalence was low in educated, urban and high socioeconomic class women. Prevalence of breast feeding is significantly high in women belonging to rural set up and among uneducated and low socioeconomic group women in Bahawalpur