Home| Journals | Statistics Online Expert | About Us | Contact Us

[Abstract] [PDF] [HTML] [Linked References]

International Journal of Recent Trends in Science and Technology, ISSN 2277-2812 E-ISSN: 2249-8109

Volume 7, Issue 1, May 2013 pp 45-48

Research Article

Current Breast Feeding Practices among the Mothers of Infants - A Cross Sectional Study

Naik J. D.¹, Jailkhani Sheetu M. K.², Thakur Madhav S.³, Langare Sanjivani⁴, Pandey Varsha⁵, Bharsakle Shrihari⁶

{¹Associate Professor, ^2,3Junior Resident – II, ⁵Statistician} Department Of Community Medicine, Government Medical College, Miraj, Maharashtra, INDIA.

⁴Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Srinivas Institute of Medical Sciences, Manglore, Karnataka, INDIA.

Academic Editor : Dr. Aher K.R.

Introduction: WHO advocates for Breastfeeding (BF) as the best source of food for optimal infant growth and development and recommends that Infants should be exclusively Breastfed for 6 months. Material and Method: A Cross- sectional study conducted at the UHC of Govt. Medical College, Miraj. Mothers of 250 Infants attending UHC, for routine immunization were interviewed about the BF patterns practiced by them and information was recorded in a pre-structured, semi-open questionnaire. Results: Out of 250, 248 (99.2%) infants were breast fed while only 2 (0.8%) were not breast fed. 144 (58%) infants had received pre-lacteal feeds. 72 (48.3%) infants after normal delivery were breast fed within 1 hour while 86 (86.9%) infants after LSCS were Breast fed >1hours after birth. Out of 154 (<6 months age), 49.3% were exclusively BF, till the current age of the infant, 42.4% predominantly and 7.8% partially BF. Out of 248, 94 were ≥ 6 months age and among them 47.9% were exclusively BF, 12.7%  predominantly BF and 39.3% partially BF. Conclusion: The study results show gap between current practices and WHO recommendations and constitute basis for designing interventions to bridge these gaps.