EFFECT OF MATERNAL EDUCATION ON BREAST FEEDING - A COMMUNITY-BASED STUDY AMONGST SLUM-DWELLING HOMEMAKERS

Pradnya Jadhav; Jayesh Panot; Sundaram Kartikeyan

Volume : IX, Issue : V, May - 2020

EFFECT OF MATERNAL EDUCATION ON BREAST FEEDING - A COMMUNITY-BASED STUDY AMONGST SLUM-DWELLING HOMEMAKERS

Pradnya Jadhav, Jayesh Panot, Sundaram Kartikeyan

Abstract :

This cross–sectional, community–based study, using convenience sampling, was conducted among 649 slum–dwelling homemakers (mean age: 25.16 +/– 3.32 years) in a metropolitan city in Western India. The purpose of the study was explained to stake holders in the community and prospective participants. Homemakers who had given birth to healthy full–term live–born babies of either sex, in the two years preceding the study, who gave informed consent to participate in the study were interviewed by a female researcher, at a time and place convenient to the respondents. Though all the respondents were full–time homemakers, their educational attainment was found to be significantly related to the practice of exclusive east feeding (Z=3.370; p=0.0007), not giving pre–lacteal feeds (Z=4.827; p<0.0001), and feeding colostrum (Z=2.998; p=0.002). Prenatal counselling for prospective mothers with involvement of husbands, mothers–in–law, elder women in the family will facilitate development of intra–family support systems to sustain efforts for successful east feeding.