Barriers to exclusive breast feeding, the missing links: a cross sectional study from Puducherry, India (original) (raw)
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National Journal of Community Medicine, 2018
Introduction: Breast milk is an ideal food that serves as a complete source of infant nutrition. Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is defined as infant receives no other food or drink, not even water, except breast milk (including milk expressed or from a wet nurse) for 6 months of life, but allows to receive ORS, drops and medicinal syrups (vitamins, minerals and medicines). The study aimed to find out prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding and its socio demographic determinants. Methodology: Study has been conducted in the Immuno Prophylaxis Clinic of a tertiary care hospital. All infants aged 6 months – 12 months have been included in the study. Data has been collected from mothers of infants with the help of semi structured questionnaire. Results: Early Initiation of breastfeeding was done by 55% of mothers, while 29.4% mothers gave pre-lacteal feeds. Only 59.4% of mothers exclusively breastfed their infants for first 6 months of life. The study revealed factors positively associated with EBF such as higher maternal educational level, moderate maternal age (25 - 29 yrs.), and middle socio economic status. No association was found with maternal employment and family size in this study. Conclusion: The findings from present study highlight the importance of educating and counselling mothers on specifically about exclusive breastfeeding practices.
Indian Journal of Child Health, 2018
This cross-sectional study was done in pediatric wards of a tertiary care teaching institution from January 2017 to July 2017. The study was commenced after obtaining approval from the ABSTRACT Background: Breastfeeding is an unparalleled universally recommended intervention for the promotion of health and nutrition of children and reduction of mortality. In spite of the WHO recommendations and baby-friendly hospital initiative, breastfeeding practices are inappropriate due to maternal, infant, socioeconomic, and cultural factors. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the socioeconomic factors associated with inappropriate breastfeeding practices. Secondary objective was to determine the knowledge level of mothers on ideal breastfeeding recommendations. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in pediatric wards of a tertiary care teaching institution from January 2017 to July 2017. Mothers having children aged 7-60 months were included in the study. A sample size of one thousand was planned. After obtaining informed consent from mother, detailed feeding history including the timing of initiation of breastfeeding following childbirth, duration of exclusive breastfeeding, and age at which breastfeeding was discontinued was noted. Possible determinants considered were gender of the child, place of residence, maternal age, maternal education, maternal employment, number of children at home, type of family, whether mother was counseled during antenatal period, mode of delivery, and hospitalization in newborn period. Knowledge of mother on breastfeeding was probed and the response recorded. Univariate analysis followed by regression was performed to determine the significant factors. Results: 59% (95% confidence interval 55.9-62.1) of mothers initiated breastfeeding within 1 h of childbirth. 70.2% (95% CI-67.3-73) exclusively breastfed their babies for 6 months and above. 43.6% (95% CI-39.2-48.1) of mothers with children of age 25-60 months breastfed their babies up to 2 years and beyond. On univariate analysis, female gender, maternal employment, operative delivery, and hospitalization in the newborn period were identified as risk factors for inappropriate breastfeeding practices, which were confirmed by regression. Overall, only 26.6% (95% CI-23.9-29.5) of mothers had appropriate knowledge about ideal breastfeeding recommendations. Conclusion: Female gender, maternal employment, operative delivery, and hospitalization in newborn period are significant independent risk factors for inappropriate breastfeeding practices. Only a quarter of mothers had adequate knowledge of breastfeeding recommendations.
International Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics, 2019
first 6 months are quite appalling. In India, according to National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), exclusive breastfeeding rate is 54.9%. Various factors like maternal age, occupation, inadequate knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding, perception of insufficiency of breast milk, beliefs and misconceptions, gestational age of baby, gender and birth weight affect exclusive breast feeding. This study was done to assess ABSTRACT Background: Global Public Health recommends that infants should receive only breastfeeding for first 6 months of life for their optimal growth and development. This study was done to find the rate of exclusive breast feeding and other feeding practices in children up to 6 months of age. Methods: A hospital based longitudinal study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital for a period of one year. Data from 158 mothers who were admitted for safe confinement was collected using structured questionnaire which was administered at every monthly follow up visit following delivery till first six months. Data included sociodemographic factors, psychosocial factors, breastfeeding details, maternal and infant factors. Data was entered in MS-Excel and analysed on SPSS version 18 software. Results: About 82.9% mothers had the knowledge about benefits of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding was initiated within one hour in 74% babies but exclusive breastfeeding for first six months was given only in 42.4% babies. Pre-lacteal feeds were given only in 3.2% babies. Early complementary feeds were started in 57.6% predominantly with cereal based diet. Perceived insufficiency of milk (30.3%) was the major reason mentioned for starting early complementary feeds. Conclusions: There is a wide gap between the knowledge and practice of exclusive breastfeeding. The importance of exclusive breastfeeding should be reinforced at every immunization visit so as to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding.
Journal of Medical Science And clinical Research, 2018
Background: Breast feeding is the best documented feed for the infant during the initial six months of life. It is essential for child's optimal growth and development and also reduces the incidence of diarrhoea and pneumonia among infants. All around the world, breast feeding is associated with myths, superstitions and various cultural, religious and traditional practices, especially in poor developing countries. Poor feeding during early life increases risk of morbidity and mortality in later years and affects cognitive functioning as well. Methodology: A community based cross sectional study was conducted from June 2016 to December 2016 in which a total of 200 mothers who had given birth within last one year were selected by systematic sampling method. The mothers were interviewed regarding breast feeding practices of their infants using structured pre tested questionnaire. Data regarding socio-demographic profile, birth history of the child and breast feeding practices was also collected. Results: In the study, mean age of the participants was 28.66 years, 75% were illiterate, 73% belonged to joint families and 29% of the infants belonged to the age group of 3-6 months. The prevalence of exclusively breast fed infants was 38.5% and the most common reason for such a low percentage of exclusively breastfed infants was usage of pre-lacteal feed (94.3%). Conclusion: The prevalence of exclusively breast fed infants was low in the study area which could be attributed to the use of prelacteal feed soon after the birth of the child. The reason for the use of prelacteal feed at the time of the birth of the child is because of the prevalent socio religious factors in the area.
2020
Introduction: The benefits of Exclusive Breastfeeding are widely recognized, yet worldwide a large number of infants are not exclusively breastfed. WHO recommends Exclusive Breastfeeding for the First 6 months? In India, as per NFHS 4 (2015-16) reports, Exclusive Breastfeeding rate is 54.9%. Meghalaya has a low Exclusive Breastfeeding rate of 35.8% only. Low rate of Exclusive Breastfeeding imply that mothers in this region are constantly facing multiple barriers which limit them to exclusively breastfeed their infants. Understanding these barriers is crucial. Aim of the study: To assess Knowledge, Practice and Barriers of Exclusive Breastfeeding. Methodology: A Cross sectional study was conducted in areas under Mawlai Nongkwar UHC which was chosen randomly. The data collection period was 1 month. 181 mothers having children aged less than two years were recruited out of which 15 mothers were chosen purposely for the in-depth interview which aimed at identifying the barriers. Data co...
The practice of exclusive breastfeeding: its socio-demographic determinants in Kashmir, North India
International Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics, 2019
Background: Breastfeeding is a well-established and recommended intervention for the improvement of child nutrition. Formula feeding is a major public health problem. Objective of the current study was to know the significance of demography, socioeconomic, parental education and employment and mode of delivery on exclusive breast-feeding Kashmir, North India.Methods: A prospective hospital-based study, carried out in the Department of Pediatrics, G.B Pant Hospital Srinagar Kashmir India over the period from 2014 July to June 2015. A teaching, research and tertiary care hospital at Srinagar Kashmir North India. All the mothers who were having infants in the age group 0 to 6 months were included in study. Procedure of this variables recorded were modes of feeding, demographics, socioeconomic status, literacy level, mode of delivery, place of delivery etc.Results: A total of 600 mothers were included in study. Less than 35% of mothers were exclusively breast feeding their infants. Excl...
Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life in Northern India
International Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics, 2018
The accumulated evidence over the last three decades on breast feeding benefits is overwhelming. 7 Several studies tried to assess the knowledge of Breast feeding benefits, misconceptions, practices, and other aspects and the trends of BF practices locally, regionally, and globally. The present study aimed to assess the level of knowledge about Breast feeding with its determinants among a sample of women attending well baby clinics in Jammu.
Breastfeeding Practices among Mothers at Birth and at 6 Months in Urban Areas of Delhi-Ncr, India
2020
The objective of the present was to potray the breastfeeding practices followed by breastfeeding mothers, at birth and at 6 months, in urban areas of Delhi-National Capital Region. For this, 185 dyads of motherinfant aged 6 months were selected from Pediatric Outpatient Department of a government and a private hospital. A questionnaire-cum-interview was designed to collect the participants’ information on breastfeeding practices. It was found that only 29.7% infants had early initiation of breastfeeding despite the high (78.9%) institutional deliveries. Around 40.5% infants were given feeds apart from breast milk, mainly infant formula (81.3%) at the hospital after birth. There were 13% infants who received pre-lacteal feeds, mainly as a traditional family custom. The practice of exclusive breastfeeding for first six months was followed by 62.2% mothers. Complementary feeding or top feeding was received by 71.9% infants, but only 45.1% mothers initiated complementary foods at the re...
Breastfeeding Practices in Women in Bihar-A Hospital based study
IOSR Journals , 2019
Introduction: Exclusive breastfeeding is defined by the World Health Organization as infant feeding that consists of only breastmilk. exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, and continued breastfeeding with age-appropriate complementary feeding until 2 years of age. This has the potential to prevent approximately 19% of all under-5 years of age deaths in the developing world, more than any other preventive intervention. Although breastfeeding rates are progressively increasing worldwide, optimal breastfeeding practices are lagging behind, especially in rural and low resource settings including rural populations in India. Therefore, understanding and identifying factors associated with suboptimal breastfeeding practices in rural and low-resource settings can help improve nutrition care in early years of life. Materials and method: A cross-sectional survey of postpartum women admitted in obstetric ward of DMCH, Darbhanga, Bihar was conducted between 1 st February 2018 and 30 th April 2018. Both caesarean section and normal delivery patients were included in this study. After proper consent by mother they were interviewed based on detailed questionnaire. Women who were HIV positive or whose neonate was critical or admitted in NICU were excluded from this study. A total of 250 samples were included in this study. A standard questionnaire was developed for this study which included both open and closed ended questions. Exclusive breastfeeding was defined by feeding of breastmilk only (as per the World Health Organization), and mixed infant feeding was defined as feeding of both breastmilk and formula milk and/or water. Qualitative information such as the influences on breastfeeding, and opinions on breastfeeding versus top feeding were also elicited. Result: Out of 250 mothers interviewed 178 (71%) had initiated breastfeeding while 72 (28.8%) had not yet started to breastfeed their baby. It was observed that age group 18-24 had least percentage of breastfeeding as compared to those in elder age group. Among all demographic and social personal characters of mother, medical illness, mode of delivery and previous breastfeeding were found to be strongly in correlation with breastfeeding rates. Among those breastfeeding their baby 84 mother were giving exclusive breastmilk to their babies while remaining were giving mixed feeding (breastmilk along with top feeding, either formula feed or cow milk). Among women who were not breastfeeding their baby main reason was lack of breastmilk production followed by difficulty in initiating breastfeeding following ceaserean section. Poor nutritional status of mother in our region as well as social myths prevelant in area can be reason behind such pattern.
Exclusive breastfeeding in India: An ultimate need of infants
Nursing Practice Today
Breastfeeding is a general method of providing nutritional supplements to young infants and child by breast milk. Early initiation of breastfeeding is very important for the infants. Breastfeeding is the cheapest and simplest method of fulfilling the nutritional needs of infant. Poor infant feeding practices and its effects is an obstacle in desirable growth and development of the infant. Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is a method of providing only breast milk to infant up to 6 months age. There are lots of intrinsic and extrinsic factors which affect EBF. The prevalence of EBF is too low at global level. In the world, prevalence of EFB is 30-50% but it is 54.9% in India. The cultural, religious and geographic differences create wide range of EBF in India and it’s around 35.8-77.2%. The Exclusive breastfeeding is effective in decline the incidence of communicable and non-communicable diseases among infants which reduce the morbidity and mortality among infants. The prevalence of EBF ...