Knowledge Attitude Practices of Breastfeeding Among Mothers In Post Natal Wards of Gandhi General Hospital

Abstract The present study comprised 1000 mothers of newborn babies with regard to their belief and practices about lactation. majority (98.2%) of the mothers were breast feeding, 87.9% mothers used prelacteal feeds . Only 0.5% breast fed their babies within 6 hours and nearly 50% started after 48 hours. Colostrum was discarded by 82.9% of mother and nearly 73% wanted to continue breast feeding beyond 1 year. The age of weaning preferred was after 1 year by 91%. Only 24.7% mothers had undergone antenatal check ups. . 87.9% supplemented with prelacteal feeds: 47.5% with sugar water, 16.0% with plain water, 13.5% with cow's milk, 7.8% with honey, and 3.1% with milk powder. 82.89% of mothers discarded colostrum. Breast feeding was initiated within 6 hours of birth by only 0.5% of mothers. Almost 50% began suckling on the third day, 48 hours after birth. 52 of the 79 mothers who initiated breast feeding after the fourth day had undergone cesarean section delivery.. 40.63% desired breast feeding for 1-2 years, and 31.46% of mothers planned to breast feed as long as the baby wanted. 7.41% indicated that family and social factors were a pressure to discriminate between male and female infants. Unhygienic practices such as offering foods with a finger tip, cotton wick, or dropper was practiced more widely among women with lower socioeconomic backgrounds and illiterate mothers. Breast feeding was initiated significantly earlier by multiparous women. Mothers who fed their infants colostrum were unaware of the healthful benefits. Over 90% of mothers considered food supplementation appropriate only after one year of age, which delay can lead to malnutrition. 94% of mothers considered dry fruits and ghee or other expensive items were necessary for the lactating mother, while low-cost items such as pulses, skimmed milk, and green vegetables were ignored.