Knowledge, attitude and practices on timely initiation of breastfeeding among parturient women at Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania
Material type:
Item type | Current library | Collection | Status | Barcode | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
UNDERGRADUATE DISSERTATIONS | MWALIMU NYERERE LEARNING RESOURCES CENTRE-CUHAS BUGANDO | NFIC | 1 | UD2628 |
ABSTRACT:
Background; The World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) recommended that after delivery, optimal early breastfeeding practices should be encouraged. These optimal practices include initiating breastfeeding within 30 minutes to an hour of birth, giving colostrum, not giving pre-lacteals or post-lacteals and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) of infants. This study was proposed in order to gain insights on what hinders or facilitates optimum breastfeeding in our site.
Objectives; Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of timely initiation of breastfeeding among parturient at Bugando Medical Center.
Methodology; Descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted among 164 mothers who delivered at BMC with newborns aged between 0-72 hours. Maternal attitudes were measured using a five-point Likert scale. Mean scores were calculated for maternal knowledge and attitude. The association between categorical data such as the early breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, and practices was determined using the odds ratio.
Results; The majority of the mothers (95.8%) were knowledgeable on timely initiation of breastfeeding, 96.3% knew that colostrum should be given, while 94.5% knew that post-lacteals should not be given respectively. Most mothers had a positive attitude towards aspects of early breastfeeding: timely initiation of breastfeeding (92.7%); giving colostrum (92.1%) not giving pre- and post-lacteals (95.8% and 91.5% respectively), and practicing exclusive breastfeeding (97.6%). The mothers who practiced timely initiation of breastfeeding were 75.6%. About 95.7% gave breast milk only as the first feed, 95.7% did not give post-lacteal, while 96.3% gave colostrum. Challenges to early breastfeeding were breast problems, low milk production, not being able to position and attach the baby correctly. In conclusion, mothers had good knowledge and positive attitudes towards early breastfeeding, and practiced early breastfeeding as recommended by WHO.
Conclusion and recommendation; Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that the Ministry of Health in Tanzania should develop a policy targeting the mothers on the continuation of breastfeeding education after discharge from hospital as it has proven to be have a positive outcome towards early breastfeeding
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