Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Breastfeeding Among Rural and Urban Women

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Knowledge, attitudes and practices of breastfeeding among

rural and urban women.

CHAPTER - I

INTRODUCTION

Breast milk is the effective way of ensuring child health, Breast feeding is widely accepted as a optimal feeding for the infants due to health benefits it offers to the child. Lack of breast feeding contributes to one millions of death each year globally.1A study conducted in U.S.A revealed that breast feeding can cut cost of government and saves 3.6 billion $ and also saves the lives of infants. 2Breastfeeding helps to reduce the infant mortality and morbidity especially during the first year of life. 3Neonatal mortality can be reduced by 16.3% if breastfeeding is initiated on the first day and by 23.3% if initiated with in one hour. Breastfeeding promotion is an essential component of child survival strategies. Lancet neonatal survival series included breastfeeding in its recommended package to reduce neonatal mortality. The World Health Organization Collaborative Study Team reported that infants breastfed for 2 months show high protection when compared with later ages. 4

Breastfeeding is valuable for growth and development of the baby. It has many advantages for both the baby as well as for the mother. It is easily digested. It contains antibodies which protects the baby from infection, allergies and asthma. It prevents obesity and gastroenteritis among children.5 28 It is clean, are at the right temperature and in adequate amount to satisfy the needs of the child up to six months of age. It is inexpensive and readily available. Apart from immediate benefits it offers life long good health and benefits such as low risk of blood pressure, obesity, low cholesterol levels.The advantages for mother are breastfeedi...

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...trums; weaning practices and initiation of breastfeeding with in first hour thus it helps to improve the breastfeeding rates.

There are many differences in knowledge attitudes and practices among rural and urban women most of the studies considered one parameter for comparing and contrasting. Thus there is a need for examining knowledge, attitudes and practices towards breastfeeding and need to compare rural and urban women. Information related to knowledge, attitudes and practices of women towards breastfeeding will provide information on various factors that influence the breastfeeding practices and help to plan specific intervention for promoting breastfeeding for both rural and urban women and finally improve the rates of full breastfeeding, to maximize the benefits of breastfeeding to both the mother and the baby and to reduce the infant mortality rates.

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