A study of breast feeding practices among infants living in slums of Bhavnagar city, Gujarat, India.

Research Question: What is the situation of Breast feeding practices among infants living in slums of Bhavnagar city? Objective: To study the Breast feeding practices and the influence of literacy and cultural factors on breast-feeding practices in infants of Bhavnagar urban slums. Study Design: Community based Crosssectional study. Setting: infants living in slums of Bhavnagar city. Study Tools: pre tested semi structure questionnaire. Participants: Actual Study was conducted among 840 children in the age group of 0 to 5 years were selected for study using 30-cluster methodology. Ethical Concern: No ethical issues were involved. Inclusion Criteria: Healthy under five year children. Exclusion criteria: Currently ill child Study Period: April 2009 to June 2009. Study Variable: Literacy, Prelacteal feeding practices, Colostrum Practices, Time of initiation, Place of delivery. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test and percentages. Results: 61.9% of newborns received prelacteal feed. Illiterate mother (85.2%) practices more prelacteal feeding than literate mother (50.9%) which was statistically significant in our study (<0.01).. all home delivered infants received prelacteal feeding and half infant receive prelacteal who were delivered in hospital and difference was statistically significant in our study (p<0.001). 38.1 % of newborns received breast feeding within hour. 49.1% and 14.8% of literate and illiterate mothers respectively had started breastfeeding within one hour (p<0.01). 36.9% of newborns received colostrum in our study. Statistically significant association found between type of family and colostrum feeding practices (p<0.05).Conclusion: Present study shows 40% of newborns received right practices of breast feeding.