Assessment of breastfeeding practices in lactating mothers: more road to cover
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20210118Keywords:
Breastfeeding knowledge, Hospital practices, Initiation of breastfeeding, Socio-demographyAbstract
Background: The mother’s milk is the best gift nature has provided. It is complete nourishment for babies. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months, followed by breastfeeding along with complementary foods for up to two years of age or beyond. Absence of remarkable progress in indicators of breastfeeding suggest that certain gaps still exist which restrict achievement of national development goals. These gaps could have resulted from unawareness and lack of knowledge regarding appropriate IYCF practices. Appropriate intervention in terms of awareness programmes may help in achieving the national development goals.
Methods: A cross sectional hospital based study was conducted over a period of 3 months. Lactating mothers in post natal ward were questioned using self-administered breastfeeding knowledge questionnaire about their knowledge, attitude and practices of breastfeeding.
Results: Total of 100 lactating mothers were enrolled. Majority of the mothers were in the age group of 20-25 years (72%), 65% of mothers were from rural area. only 27% mothers practiced initiation of breastfeeding after birth. 62% of mothers initiated breastfeeding after 30 minutes of birth. 10% mothers gave prelacteal feeds, honey was the most commonly given prelacteal feed. 90% of the mothers fed their baby colostrum. 90% of mothers knew that breast milk is ideal feed for newborn.
Conclusions: The primary care givers need to implement strategies to educate mothers about breastfeeding in antenatal and post natal checkups to enhance good breastfeeding practice thereby reducing infant mortality and morbidity. A special strategy to reach out to poor socio economic status and illiterate mothers is need of the hour.
References
Ku C, Chow SKY. Factors influencing the practice of exclusive breastfeeding among Hong Kong Chinese women: a questionnaire survey. J Clin Nurs. 2010;19(17-18):2434-45.
Hanif HM. Trends in breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices in Pakistan, 1990-2007. Int Breastfeed J. 2011;6:15.
Nkala TE, Msuya SE. Prevalence and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding among women in Kigoma region, Western Tanzania: a community based cross-sectional study. Int Breastfeed J. 2011;6:17.
Benefits for Infants. Advantages of Breastfeeding. Available at: www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_more.html. Accessed on 6 August 2020.
Srivastava D. Breastfeeding: the First Hour Saves One Million Babies! World Breastfeeding Week 2007, August 2-4. Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India, Delhi, 2007. www.bpni.org/WBW/2007/UNICEF-India-Health.html. Accessed on 6 August 2020.
Government of India. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. National Family Health Survey-4, 2015-2016. Available from: http://rchiips.org/nfhs/nfhs-4Reports/India.pdf. Accessed on 4 August 2020.
Breastfeeding and infants and young children feeding practices. Report card: India States and UTs, 2019. Available from: https://nhm.gov.in/New_Updates_2018/NHM_Components/RMNCHA/CH/Schemes/Maa/Brestfeeding_and_IYCF_Report_Cards.pdf.
Iarukov A, Nin’o A, Iarukova N, Doicheva E, Kolev D. The early breast feeding of newborn infants. Akush Ginekol. 1992;31:13-5.
Mandal PK, Sardar JC, Chatterjee C, Lahiri SK, Ghosh PK. A study on breast feeding practices among infants in a rural area of west Bengal. Indian J Prev Soc Med. 2007;38:28-31.
Chaturvedi M, Nandan D, Gupta SC. Rapid assessment of infant feeding practices in Agra district. Indian J Community Med. 2007;32:227.
Sharma D, Sharma S. Bottlenecks to breastfeeding in Rural Rajasthan. Indian J Community Med. 2005;30:155-6.
Pathi S, Das BC. Breast feeding practices in a rural ICDS block of Khallikote, South Orissa. Indian J Community Med. 2005;30:154.
Deshpande JD, Giri PA, Phalke DB, Phalke VD, Kalakoti P, Syed MM. Socio-cultural practices in relation to breastfeeding, weaning and child rearing among Indian mothers and assessment of nutritional status of children under five in rural India. AMJ. 2010;3:618-24.
Khan Z, Mehnaz S, Khalique N, Ansari MA, Siddiqui AR. Poor perinatal care practices in urban slums: Possible role of social mobilization networks. Indian J Community Med. 2009;34:102-7.
Davies MC, Arinolan G, Sanusin R, Osotimehin B. Immunoglobulin classes and nutritional factors in plasma and breast milk of lactating mothers in Nigeria. Iran J Immunol. 2006;3:181-6.
Agarwal M, Idris MZ, Mohan U. Quality of reproductive health care at primary care level. Indian J Community Med. 2001;26:119-26.
Panda S. Brief report of PVOH-II Project of OMRAH, Cuttack, Orissa. Indian J Community Health. 1997;3:82-6.
