Exploring Barriers for Early Initiation of Breastfeeding among Mothers in the Post-natal Ward: A Cross-sectional Study
LC06-LC10
Correspondence
Dr. Adwitiya Das,
Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, MCH Main Hospital Building, Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
E-mail: doc.adi.007@gmail.com
Introduction: Early Initiation of Breast Feeding (EIBF), referred to as “provision of mother’s breast milk to infants within 1 hour of birth”, is the cornerstone of infant survival and health. In spite of an increase in proportion of mothers practising EIBF over the past decade, the number is still less than satisfactory.
Aim: To find out the proportion of mothers who practised EIBF, and the factors influencing the same.
Materials and Methods: Ninety-seven post-natal mothers were interviewed from June 2017 to August 2017 using a pre-designed, pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Other relevant information collected from in-patient records. Logistic regression analysis was done.
Results: Out of 97 mothers, EIBF was practised by 59 (60.82%). Main reason for not initiating EIBF according to the mothers was “baby not roomed/bedded-in” soon after birth, followed by exhaustion from delivery. Knowledge regarding benefits of EIBF was inadequate. Colostrum feeding was done by 83.51% of mothers. On logistic regression analysis, it was observed that in the multivariate model, education of mother, higher age at marriage, vaginal/vaginal assisted delivery and term/post-term baby were significant factors promoting EIBF.
Conclusion: EIBF was practised by less than two-thirds of study subjects. Knowledge regarding EIBF was unsatisfactory. This study revealed education of mother, higher age at marriage, vaginal/vaginal assisted delivery and term/post-term baby were significant factors promoting EIBF.