STUDY OF FEEDING PRACTICES IN INFANTS ATTENDING PAEDIATRIC DEPARTMENT IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

BACKGROUND Optimum nutrition is essential for child survival and quality of survival. As per global public health recommendations, infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond(4). Infant feeding and rearing practices have a major effect on short term and long-term nutritional status of infants. Present study is undertaken to assess the current feeding practices in infants attending paediatrics department in a tertiary care hospital. METHODS Present study is a cross sectional study in which about 500 Mothers and their infants attending paediatric OPD, postnatal ward, paediatric ward of KGH for various reasons of health care, were selected for study. Statistical analysis was done using Epi Info 7.1.2.0 of Centre for Disease Control, USA and MedCalc 12.7.5 Belgium. RESULTS The median age of mothers in the study is 22 years in which about 54.4% were illiterate and 81% were house wives. Breast feeding suggestion during ANC to mothers by doctors is 79%. 11.2% children were given prelacteal feeds. Exclusive breast feeding was done by mothers in 88%. When the mothers knowledge regarding the age of initiation of complimentary feeding is obtained, 2.2% of mothers thought complimentary feeding can be started when the child was between 2 to 3 months age, 9.8% felt that it can be started between 3 to 4 months of age; 15% felt 4-5 months, about 23% felt 5 to 6 months, 29.4% felt 6 to 7 months, 21% felt that it can be started > 7 months of age. CONCLUSIONS There is a need to improve health education regarding infant feeding practices like exclusive breast feeding and weaning. Problems during breast feeding should be taught during pregnancy. Counselling should be started antenatally to improve confidence in mothers and to identify problems like inverted nipple. Breast feeding and weaning are two major pillars in infant feeding which should be done appropriately to reduce infant morbidity and mortality.