Assessment Of Knowledge and Attitude of Antenatal Mothers Towards Breastfeeding
Keywords:
Antenatal, Exclusive breastfeedingAbstract
Introduction: Breastfeeding is an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants. Antenatal counseling is very useful for ensuring breastfeeding in postnatal period
Objectives: Assessment of antenatal services with respect to information about benefits of breastfeeding practices and Assessment of knowledge about benefits of breastfeeding amongst the beneficiaries of the hospitals under study.
Methodology: Antenatal mothers attending the OPD were interviewed about their knowledge regarding breastfeeding practices and about the hospital services for imparting this knowledge or information.
Results: Out of total 200 antenatal beneficiaries 81.5%were having knowledge about benefits of exclusive breast feeding 37 (18.5%) answered don’t know (p value >0.05 not significant statistically). Out of total 200 antenatal beneficiaries 61 (30.5%) were informed about exclusive breast feeding and 139(69.5%) were not informed, (p value <0.05 significant statistically).
Conclusion: Majority of ANC women attending the OPD were not aware about Exclusive Breast Feeding (EBF), however they were having good knowledge about the benefits of breast feeding. The major source of information being doctors rather than paramedical staff, calls for more attention and training of nurses and other supporting hospital staff regarding Baby Friendly Hospital.
References
Edmond KM, Zandoh C, Quigley MA, Amenga-Etego S, Owusu-Agyei S, Kirkwood BR. Delayed breastfeeding initiation increases risk of neonatal mortality. Pediatrics 2006; 117:380-386
Lauer JA, Betran AP, Barros AJ, de Onis M. Deaths and years of life lost due to suboptimal breast-feeding among children in the developing world: a global ecological risk assessment. Public Health Nutrition 2006;9:673-685
Global strategy on infant and young child feeding. Infant and young child nutrition. World Health Organization. Provisional agenda item 13.10. A55/15. 16 April 2002. Pg 5-6
Demography and health Indicators: India http://www.searo.who.int/LinkFiles/Nutrition _for_Health_and_Development_Nutrition_Profile_India.pdf assessed on June 28, 2012.
Joon K. Chye, Zarin Zain, , Wei L. Lim, and Chin T. Lim. Current trend in infant feeding ; Journal of Tropical Pediatrics 1997 43(5):287-29.
Report on assessment of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiatives. National Food and Nutrition Commission. Zambia 1997
Malla KK, Malla T, Manandhar DS. Knowledge Attitude and Practices of Mothers Regarding Breastfeeding. A hospital based study. JNPS (Journal of Nepal Paediatric Society) Issue 1, Vol 26 (Jan-June 2007):9-15
Chaturvedi P, Banait N. Knowledge and attitude regarding breast-feeding in mothers attending antenatal clinics. Indian journal of pediatrics, 2000. Vol. 67, No 4, Pg 259-262.
Ampeire Isaac Petit, Perception and knowledge on exclusive breastfeeding among women attending antenatal and postnatal clinics, a study from mbarara hospital– uganda, August 2008. Official Publication of the Tanzania Medical Students’ Association 2010, Vol 16 No 1, Pg 27-30.
Gunasekaran D, Adhisivam B, Arulkumaran A and Shanthi A. Antenatal counseling on breastfeeding – is it adequate? A descriptive study from Pondicherry, India. International Breastfeeding Journal. 2008. Vol 3, page 3-5
Chaturvedi P, Banait N, Knowledge and attitude regarding breast-feeding, in mothers attending antenatal clinics. Indian journal of pediatrics, 2000, Vol. 67, No 4, Pg 259-262.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The authors retain the copyright of their article, with first publication rights granted to Medsci Publications.
