Exclusive breastfeeding practices among urban mothers and the barriers to breastfeeding: A descriptive study at South Mumbai

Abstract

Introduction: Breast feeding is known as first immunization since it provides protection to children from communicable and noncommunicable diseases. Human breast milk is naturally balanced nutritious foods for infants. It is an ideal food for a child’s growth and development. It reduces the occurrences of childhood diseases like asthma, cancer, obesity, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in south Bombay. Totally, 50 participants were selected for the study by non-probability sampling method using semi structured questionnaire. Validated by experts from the field of obstetrics and pediatrics. Results: Out of 50 mothers, majority of mothers 46% (23) breastfed exclusively for 4-6 months. Lactational barrier was the most significant barrier observed in which leaking milk (31%) was the common problem. Conclusion: The findings of the current study highlight the need for developing good knowledge in order to identify the barriers of breastfeeding and enlighten mothers about methods to overcome them.