Abstract
Timely initiation of complementary feeding and pattern of complementary feeding is suboptimal in India. Women in employment faces challenges for following optimum Infant and Young Child Feeding practices, which have a significant impact on growth and development of child under 2 years of age. Objective was to study challenges faced by women in employment for complementary feeding and pattern of complementary feeding in rural area. Qualitative study was conducted in rural area of Wardha district, India. Six FGDs were conducted and participants (total 39) were women in employment having child between 6-23 months and community level service providers. Women in rural area resume work early, could not practice exclusive breast feeding for six months. They initiate complementary feeding early and had inadequate awareness regarding complementary feeding. Women initiate semisolid and soft food at 4-6 months, smashed solid food at 7-9 months. Women leave their babies at mercy of the elders or sometime neighbours when they are at work. Villages do not have child care facilities or creches. All these determinants compromises complementary feeding with regards to timely and adequacy, recommended dietary diversity, safe feeding. Challenges for practicing exclusive breast feeding for 6 month, early initiation and inadequate complementary feeding adversely affect growth and development of children in rural area which may have undesired long term implication on the cognitive development. Strengthening Anganwadi program in India with more focus on children under 2 years, community baby care rooms / creches services would be useful strategy for supporting the women in employment to practice the optimum IYCF recommendations. India needs a conducive workplace policies and adequate protection by law for women in employment.
Highlights
As a global public health recommendation, infant should be exclusively breastfed for the first six month of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health
The study emphasises that women pose significant challenges for complementary feeding when they are out at work
Study reveals that most of women in rural area are well aware regarding the importance of avoiding pre-lacteal feeds, colostrum feeding, early initiation of breast-feeding, exclusive breast feeding till six months and timely initiation of complementary feeding
Summary
As a global public health recommendation, infant should be exclusively breastfed for the first six month of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. As a result of employment, women with an infant required to spend considerable time at work, and this may pose challenge for them to care for their babies during working hours. These challenges may be further compounded, as the maternity benefit / maternity leave for women in formal employment is only for a period of 6 months and lack of policy support or social security measures for women working in non formal sector. Very little information exists regarding pattern and challenges faced for complementary feeding by women in employment in Indian rural settings, where most of the women work in nonformal sector, mostly in farms or domestic help or daily wage workers and are inadequately covered under current policies.
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