Study on infant feeding practice among children up to 6 months in an urban slum of Bhopal

Abstract

Introduction: High morbidity and mortality among the under 5 children are highly prevalent inIndia. Appropriate child feeding practices in the initial six months of age act as a preventiveintervention against childhood morbidity and mortality. Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted in an urban slum to study various feeding practices prevalent amongchildren up to 6 months of age. Also associated socio-demographic factors were studied. SPSSsoftware version 25 was used to analyze the results. Results: The study included 55 children up to6 months of age. Out of these 76.4% were exclusively breastfed. Among 45.5%, breastfeeding waswithin 1st hour of the birth. 56.4% have received pre-lacteal feeds, while 72.72% receivedcolostrum. The educational status of the mother and place of delivery were major determinants ofappropriate infant feeding practices. Conclusion: Most mothers are practising exclusivebreastfeeding. Colostrum was fed to most of the children. Animal milk was given in cases whereinitiation of breastfeeding was delayed.