Title: Knowledge, attitude, practices and role of social support in breastfeeding among women: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Annabelle Sabu, Sabrina Mhapankar, Ajita Goli, Sushil Kumar
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i10.211
Abstract
Timely initiation of breast-feeding is critical to every infant's nutritional growth and development. There are various factors which influence successful breastfeeding in their own way. The Indian culture is diverse and there is an important role of social support by the near and dear ones of the breastfeeding mother to help her during lactation.
Material & Methods: 100 women attending OBGYN OPD in a tertiary hospital and medical college from June 2016 to December 2016. Pearsons’s correlation was used to calculate the association between knowledge, attitude, practices and role of social support.
Results: In our study, 53% women knew that exclusive breastfeeding is for 6 months. Majority (96%) of the women knew that Colostrum is important to the baby and that it should be given. Only 41% had knowledge or had heard of mother support groups. Out of 39% women who gave their child top feeds revealed that the idea was advised to them by relatives (35%). Breastfeeding was discussed with 41% women antenatally, only 22% postnatally while 37% revealed that it was not discussed at all. From our study we understood that upon questioned 61% of the women feel that they needed help from family and friends to make breastfeeding easier.
Conclusion: It is essential to ensure that the healthcare system provides efficient antenatal and postnatal breastfeeding education and support. Mothers should be made aware of mother support groups which hold key to promoting maternal and child health. The findings of our study will help regularise and bring about change in the health care system for promoting breastfeeding.
Keywords: Breastfeeding, Social support for breastfeeding, breastfeeding practises., KAP and SS in breastfeeding, Importance of breastfeeding
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