Breastfeeding and Weaning Practices of Children in Rural Area of Punjab, India: A Questionnaire Study

Background: Breast milk provides many nutritional benefits to a child and contains anti-infective properties that protect newborns from primary infection. Optimal breastfeeding practices promote healthy growth and development of newborns. Breastfeeding is the feeding of an infant or young child with breast milk directly from female human breasts (i.e. via lactation) rather than using infant formula. Methods: This cross-sectional study was undertaken in three randomly selected sub centers of Verka block. A total of 286 mothers with aged 12-24 months children were interviewed in house to house survey. Data collected by using pretested questionnaire on breast feeding practices. Results: In this study, 95.1% mothers started to breast feeding. Most of 64.4% children were put on the breast after 48 h. 52.1% mother's breast fed their babies after 12 months, 4.9% of mothers did not breast fed their babies because of local breast problem, mother's illness and due to other reasons like milk unsuitable, prematurity and hospitalization, etc. Any milk other than breast milk given to the child was considered as top feed. 25.8% of total mothers started top feed within 2 months. 53.0% mothers used cow's milk as a top feed. 32.7% of the mother used whole milk as a top feed, while 12.3% of the total mothers used 1: 3 dilution of the top feeding. The gradual switching over the child from breast milk alone to other foods is called weaning. 47.2% of the total children were weaned before 6 months of age. Conclusions: The study concluded breast feeding is almost universal in rural Punjab, but initiation of breast is very much delayed and faulty weaning practices, mothers should be equipping with knowledge through various ways.