Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development

Abstract

Background

Breast feeding practice rates vary in different places. Little is known about breast feeding practice and barriers women experience. In addition information is scant on how organisations can best promote breastfeeding. It is estimated that a breastfed baby is 14 times less likely to die from diarrhoea, 4 times less likely to die from respiratory diseases and 2.5 times less likely to die from other infections than a non breast fed infant.

Objectives

1) To determine knowledge, attitude, and practice of rural mothers regarding breastfeeding. 2) To find association of knowledge, attitude, and practice of rural mothers regarding breast feeding with demographic variables.

Methodology

The hospital based descriptive study was undertaken in departments of Paediatrics and Gynaecology, Obstetrics in both the outpatient and inpatient wards in Alluri Sita Rama Raju Academy of Medical Sciences, Eluru, Andhra Pradesh. In this study 214 mothers who had children less than 2 years of age were selected. A structured questionnaire was applied and children above two years of age group were excluded from the study.

Results

About 32.7% of the mothers had the knowledge regarding 6 months of breast feeding is enough. 86.9% of the mothers gave the opinion regarding attitude, breast feeding is a good way to decrease family expences. Out of 214 mothers who were interviewed 27 mothers are illiterates, 39 mothers have primary schooling, 105 mothers have high school education, 23 mothers had secondary education, and 20 mothers are graduates. 78.9% mothers were > 24 yrs of age 20.1% mother were < 24 years of age. Of the 214 mothers interviewed 189 mothers gave colostrums, whereas 25 mothers (11.81%) discarded colostrums. In mothers who delivered by vaginal delivery out of 140 mothers 118(84.2%) initiated breastfeeding within 12 hrs after delivery whereas out of 70 mothers who delivered by caesarean section 49(70%) initiated breast feeding 12 hrs after delivery.

Conclusions

In the present study conducted on 214 mothers showed that high proportion of population gave exclusive breast feeding. However lot of gap is seen between literate and illiterate mothers in breast feeding practices which need to be changed. The positive changing trends are seen in aspects of colostrum feeding. Hence there is a need for awareness programs regarding breast feeding in this area.

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