A Study to Assess the Knowledge and Practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding among Mothers in Selected Pediatric Clinics at Chennai

Abstract

Introduction: Breast feeding is considered as the pivotal factor between life and death for the vastmajority of children in developing countries, but pattern of breast feeding and exclusive breastfeeding is more important, which is ignored often by most mothers. Aims & Objectives: To assessthe knowledge, and Practice of Exclusive Breast feeding among Mothers in selected pediatric clinicsat Chennai. Methodology: A quantitative descriptive research design was adopted and samples areselected by purposive sampling technique. The data was collected by self-administered questionnaireand data analysis was done by descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: The study revealed that mostof the mothers 46(46%) had moderate knowledge, 36(36%) had adequate knowledge and18 (18%) hadinadequate knowledge of exclusive breast feeding among mothers and also most of the mothers 52(52%)had moderate practice, 40(40%) had inadequate practice and 8(8%) had adequate practice of exclusivebreast feeding among mothers. In demographic variable education of mother (x=18.841,p=0.004) hadshown statistically significant association with level of knowledge of exclusive breast feeding amongmothers at p = 0.05 level Conclusion: The results concluded that a substantial positive correlationbetween knowledge and practice of exclusive breast feeding among women which clearly infers thatwhen the knowledge of exclusive breast feeding among women increases their practice level alsoincrease.