Practices and Problems Related to Breastfeeding among Mothers of Under-Five Children

Objective: The purpose of present study is to identify the practice and problems related to breastfeedingamong the mothers of under five children .Design: A quantitative, descriptive survey designSetting: Paediatric In Patient and Out Patient Department at AIMS, Kochi, Kerala, India.Subjects: Convenience sampling was used to select 60 mothers of under-five children .Method: Semi structured interview schedule was used to assess the breast feeding practices among mothersof under-five children and Checklists to assess breast feeding problems and factors influencing breast feedingpractices among mothers of under-five children.Result: Majority of mothers (90%) given colostrum. 53.3% had given exclusive breast feed while thirtyseven mothers 46% opted formula feed and 26.7% had given expressed breast milk during the first sixmonths of life. 48.3% mothers feed their baby completely from one breast before offering the other. 70%offered alternate breast during next feed, 43.3% taken dietary modifications and supplements to increasebreast milk. Most of the mothers 58.35% initiated breast feeding after two hours. Majority of mothers 46.7%had complaints of problems related to biting during breast feeding. Out of sixty mothers twenty one (35%)reported inadequate breast milk production as a problem during feeding, 30% faces problems related tobreast engorgement.Conclusion: WHO recommended the exclusive breast feeding up to 6 months. But the present study showsthat 46.7% of the mothers initiated formula fed before six months and of 90% of mothers fed colostrum.Hence there is a need to educate mothers about exclusive breast feeding up to 6 months.