Practices related to exclusive breast feeding among mothers of Bengaluru: A cross sectional Study

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Original Article

Author Details : Rekha S G*, Aaron Roy, Geetika Arora

Volume : 2, Issue : 3, Year : 2019

Article Page : 77-80

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Abstract

Introduction: Change in the trends of education and occupation status of women in many developing and developed countries have caused a great impact on traditional infant feeding practices. Being a home maker women had ample of time for herself and new born, wherein she could take adequate selfcare and feed infant on demand. Breastfeeding is one of the most cost effective and essential ways of reducing infant mortality and improve health status of the child. However, the rate of exclusive breast feeding is very low in India as compared to the earlier rates, hence this study was proposed to analyse the factors associated with Exclusive breast feeding practice.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Bengaluru from January to April 2018 among urban mothers. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the sample for study, a total 114 mothers were interviewed by the researcher. A purposive sampling technique was used to gather the quantitative data and qualitative data from the samples. Tools used in the study, a pretested structured interview schedule was used to obtain information on socio-demographics and breast-feeding practices, observation checklist on breastfeeding practices, opinionnaire. Data interpreted using statistical analysis. 
Results: The median duration of exclusive breastfeeding was found to be three months and mean frequency of breastfeeding was five to six times per day. The initiation of breastfeeding among urban mothers was identified as within one hour by 28.07% [53.81% among boy child and 46.19% among girl child]. 39.47% of the mother-initiated breast-feeding between 1-6 hours after delivery and 67.54% after six hours of delivery. About 89(78.07%) of the children were given pre-lacteal feeds in the form of formula feeds, sugar water, dextrose in this study. Barriers to practice exclusive breastfeeding identified in this study as expressed by mothers were; breast milk taste unsatisfying to the infant (n=72, 63.15%), insufficient breast milk production (n=17, 14.91%), to improve nutritional status of the child (n=9, 7.89%), the child needs to learn to feed on other foods (n=9, 7.89%), family members forces to add substitutions and in order to resume work among employed mothers (n=7, 6.30%). Other barriers were feeling shy to feed child in public, lack of knowledge about importance of breast feeding, low confidence level among breastfeeding mother, poor support system (treating doctors, family members, workplace, friends and community).
Conclusion: A very large number of infants are not exclusively breastfed during the first 6 months, despite what is recommended in the national and global infant and young child feeding (IYCF) guidelines, WHO and UNICEF recommendations. Employed mothers were less likely to practice exclusive breastfeeding, implying the need for promoting workplace breastfeeding practices and creating an enabling environment for exclusive breastfeeding.

Keywords: Exclusive breast feeding, Pre lacteal feeds, Postnatal mothers, Enablers, Hindering factors.

How to cite : Rekha S G, Roy A, Arora G, Practices related to exclusive breast feeding among mothers of Bengaluru: A cross sectional Study. J Paediatr Nurs Sci 2019;2(3):77-80

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