Infant feeding practices in urban population--a clinic based study

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Nutrition

Background:

• Infant feeding practices significantly impact child health and development.
• Optimal infant nutrition includes timely initiation of breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding.
• Understanding current feeding trends is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess current infant feeding practices among mothers attending an immunoprophylaxis clinic.
• To identify areas of concern in infant feeding.
• To provide recommendations for improving infant feeding practices through health education.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Immunoprophylaxis Clinic, Govt. Medical College, Nagpur.
• Interviews were conducted with mothers of 217 children regarding their infant feeding practices.
• Data on breastfeeding initiation, prelacteal feeds, feeding methods, and weaning were collected.

Main Results:

• Breastfeeding was initiated within 24 hours for 62.67% of infants.
• 22% of mothers used prelacteal feeds.
• 70% of mothers preferred demand feeding.
• Key concerns identified: discarding colostrum, low exclusive breastfeeding rates, delayed weaning, and early breastfeeding termination.

Conclusions:

• While early breastfeeding initiation is common, significant challenges exist in optimal infant feeding practices.
• Discarding colostrum, low exclusive breastfeeding, and early termination of breastfeeding require targeted interventions.
• Integrating health education into existing nutritional programs is recommended to enhance infant feeding practices.