Knowledge and Attitude on Initiation and Establishment of Breast Feeding Among Primi Mothers

Abstract

Introduction: The best nourishment for an infant's growth and development is human milk. Breastfeeding lowers infant mortality and morbidity, especially from infections like pneumonia, neonatal sepsis, and diarrhoea. First-time mothers, play a crucial role in nurturing their newborns, and knowledge about breastfeeding is paramount for several reasons. Every primi gravida mothers should know about breast feeding for the well being of their babies. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate primi mothers' knowledge and attitudes regarding the initiation and establishment of breastfeeding.  Methods: In this study, a survey approach & descriptive correlational research design was used. Using purposive sampling technique, 100 primi mothers who were between 34-38 weeks of gestation were selected in a tertiary care center, Chennai. Pre tested tools such as background variable proforma, structured questionnaire to assess the knowledge and modified Iowa Infant feeding scale to assess the attitude on breast feeding were used to collect the data.  Results: The study findings revealed that majority of the mothers were in the category of needs improvement (76%). Majority of the mothers had positive attitude towards initiation and establishment of breast feeding (85%).