BREAST FEEDING PRACTICES IN FIRST SIX MONTHS OF AGE IN LOW SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS

Dr Nayana B. S.; Dr Anjali Kalbhande; Dr Ashwin Meshram; Dr Kailash Patra

Volume : IX, Issue : V, May - 2019

BREAST FEEDING PRACTICES IN FIRST SIX MONTHS OF AGE IN LOW SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS

Dr Nayana B. S. , Dr Anjali Kalbhande, Dr Ashwin Meshram, Dr Kailash Patra

Abstract :

Background: Breast feeding is a natural, feasible, cheap and culturally acceptable nutrition for infants. Lack of knowledge, prevailing misconceptions and cultural taboos in low socioeconomic group significantly contribute to undesirable eastfeeding practices such as delayed initiation and discarding of colostrum. Our study focuses on patterns of east feeding and factors affecting east–feeding practices. Aims and Objectives: To identify feeding practices in mothers. To collect information on variables known or suspected to be associated with eastfeeding initiation. To know the taboos regarding east feeding. Assessment of awareness about east feeding in mothers of low socioeconomic strata. Method: The study was conducted on 400 infants up to 6 months of age in ward or outpatient department a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai over the duration of two years. A questionnaire filled by mothers and face to face interview by a principal researcher for 30 minutes used for data collection which was analyzed using software SPSS version 17. Discussion: The initiation of east feeding was strongly associated (P <0.001) with maternal disease, parity of mothers, mother’s knowledge, previous history of eastfeeding, type of delivery, taboos regarding east feeding and inter–delivery interval. And parameters like type of family (P =0.028), birth weight of infants (p =0.001) were found statistically significant with initiation of east feeding. Conclusion: Breast feeding in infants in low socioeconomic status is influenced by multiple factors. Study highlights the taboos among mothers obviating an initiation of early east feeding and calls for educating mothers regarding eastfeeding practices during ANC visits