Breast feeding practices and newborn care in rural areas of Lucknow district : A community based cross sectional study

Dr Ranjana Bhardwaj; Dr Vijay Bhardwaj

Volume : V, Issue : VIII, August - 2016

Breast feeding practices and newborn care in rural areas of Lucknow district : A community based cross sectional study

Dr Ranjana Bhardwaj, Dr Vijay Bhardwaj

Abstract :

Background: Breastfeeding practices play an important role in reducing child mortality and morbidity. This study was aimed to describe the eastfeeding practices prevalent in rural areas. Objectives: The objectives of this study was to describe the eastfeeding and newborn care practices in rural areas of Lucknow district also to describe the factors affecting the initiation and duration of eastfeeding. Material and Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted between July 2015 to December 2015 (6months). The study was conducted in Rural health care center that is attached to Career Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow. Mothers with children who were 9 months old who came to the Rural health centre for measles vaccination were included in the study and data was collected using the pre–tested questionnaire on eastfeeding and newborn practices. Results: Our study shows 100% of the mothers initiated eastfeeding, 20% used pre lacteal feeds, 90% had hospital deliveries and 10% had home deliveries. In our study, the majority of the mothers were between the ages of 21 and 25 years old (50%) and 15 and 20 years old (32%). A majority of the mothers were primigavidae (52%) and the age at marriage was between 15 and 20 years old (65%). Conclusion: This study emphasizes the need for eastfeeding intervention programs especially for the mother during antenatal and postnatal check–ups and practices like discarding the colostrum and early/late weaning are still widely prevalent and need to be addressed.