Knowledge and Practice about Breast Feeding Among Doctors of QAMC and B.V.H, Bahawalpur

ABSTRACT

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the knowledge and practice of breast feeding among married doctors working in QAMC and B.V.H Bahawalpur.Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study.Study Setting: The Study was conducted on Married doctors working in QAMC and B.V.H Bahawalpur under the supervision of Department of Community Medicine.Sample Size 100 female doctors were selected from 476 female doctors working in QAMC and B.V.H Bahawalpur.Data Analysis:Data was entered and analyzed manually. Frequencies and percentages were calculated. The data was presented in the form of tables and graphs.Results:In our study a sampleof 100 female doctors from QAMC & BVH as taken with a mean age 34.5 years. The age distribution showed that maximum respondent 44% belong to 29-38 years age group. Result showed that 62% were of 17 grade. 100% doctor knew that breast feeding was healthy &important. Regarding knowledge 84% had knowledge of importance of breast feeding. 80% knew that it could be continued upto 2 year and 44% thought that it should be continued in maternal diseases and 98% thought that it should be continued in infant diseases. Regarding practices 82% breastfed their child and among them 3% fed immediately and 95% gave colostrum to their child. Among the respondent 10% don’t fed their child due to physician prescription & because of preference of formula milk.Conclusion: All of the female married doctors had knowledge about importance of breast feeding. Most of them breast fed their last child. The reasons for breast feeding were breast milk advantages as healthy, safe, in expensive, good immunity, economical and protection against breast cancer. Mothers who did not practice had problems like pain, jobs, medical condition & formula milk preference.