Awareness, attitude and practice of breast feeding among mothers at tertiary care center, Puducherry, India

ABSTRACT

Background: The knowledge and practice of exclusive breastfeeding has been prejudiced by demographic, social, cultural, biophysical, and psychosocial factors. About two-thirds of under-five deaths in India are associated with inappropriate infant feeding practices. Objective of this study was to assess the awareness, knowledge and practice of breastfeeding among the mothers attending to the tertiary care institute at Puducherry, India.Methods: This hospital-based, cross-sectional study was carried out among 150 postnatal mothers who attended immunization clinics, post-natal and paediatric wards at the tertiary care hospital at Puducherry collecting data about breastfeeding knowledge and practices using a structured interview.Results: The breastfeeding practices were significantly poorer in terms of initiation, feeding colostrums, timing and frequency of feeding and inclusion of pre-lacteal feeds among obese women compared to the normal weighted mothers. The breastfeeding knowledge and attitude was healthy among the mothers as depicted by the awareness of nutritive value of breast milk by majority (84%) of mothers.Conclusions: The mothers had poor knowledge regarding initiation of breastfeeding and administration of colostrum. There was a positive attitude about exclusive breastfeeding, frequency of feeding and social aspects of breastfeeding.