Role of health personnel in the promotion of breast feeding practices.

Abstract

Activities carried out during the antenatal period and early neonatal period have been shown to play an important role in the promotion of breast feeding. A community-based study in Sri Lanka on a sample of mothers from urban and rural areas indicated that improvements need to be made in the educational activities carried out during the antenatal period. In view of the discrepancies observed in the ‘knowledge’ and ‘practice’ of breast feeding, emphasis needs to be paid not only to the content of such educational programmes, but also to the methods of communi cation. The post-natal practice observed in hospitals, of keeping the mother and baby separated during the first 2 hours after birth needs to be reviewed, specially because the majority of the deliveries in Sri Lanka take place in hospitals.