BREASTFEEDING PRACTICES AMONG URBAN SLUMS OF A METRO CITY IN MAHARASHTRA

Dr. Jayanarayan B. Senapati; Dr. Kiran S. Akhade; Dr. Sulabha V. Akarte; Dr. Ranjit M. Mankeshwar; Dr. Dinesh R. Samel; Dr. Ranjana B. Zade

Volume : VII, Issue : VI, June - 2018

BREASTFEEDING PRACTICES AMONG URBAN SLUMS OF A METRO CITY IN MAHARASHTRA

Dr. Jayanarayan B. Senapati, Dr. Kiran S. Akhade, Dr. Sulabha V. Akarte, Dr. Ranjit M. Mankeshwar, Dr. Dinesh R. Samel, Dr. Ranjana B. Zade

Abstract :

Background: Proper eastfeeding practices during infancy and childhood are essential for attaining and maintaining proper nutrition and health, and for overall development of infants and children. Objectives:1) To find out the prevalence of appropriate eastfeeding practices.2) To evaluate the association of appropriate eastfeeding practices with child�s nutritional status. Methodology: Community based cross sectional study. Children from urban slums were examined. A Simple Random Sampling method was followed. House to house survey was carried out for data collection regarding east feeding practices with the help of questionnaire in the field. Anthropometric measurements were also taken. Data was analyzed with the help of SPSS ver. 20 and appropriate tests were applied. Results: Total 400 children were examined, out of which174 were females and 226 were males. Out of 400 children 164 children still continue the eastfeeding; while 236 children had stopped eastfeeding, out of which only 62 children were eastfed for adequate duration while 174 children are inadequately eastfed. Inadequately eastfed children are often fall sick and hospitalised for common diseases such as diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, cough etc. Only 24% mothers initiate eastfeeding on time. Delayed initiation of eastfeeding is prone to develop malnutrition especially underweight with highly significant statistical difference with p value 0.009 (χ2 = 6.8, OR = 1.91, C.I. = 1.14–3.26).Conclusions: More than 3/4^th of mothers do not initiate eastfeeding on time. Delayed initiation of eastfeeding leads to deprivation of colostrum to baby. Inadequately eastfed baby are more prone to infectionsdueto low immunity.