FACTORS AFFECTING ON EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING FEEDING

INTRODUCTION: Exclusive breastfeeding can prevent the children from different long term and short term diseases such as gastroenteritis, RTI and long term diseases such as diabetes type II, obesity and hypertension. OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study is to evaluate the sociocultural factors responsible for exclusive breast feeding MATERIAL & METHODS: This cross-sectional study has been held from May 2013 to January 2014 in the department of gynae & obstetrics. Total 108 women were interviewed after taking informed consent. All women who had children were incorporated in this study, while nullipara and unmarried were excluded from the study. Information was recorded on predesigned proforma and was analyzed in SPSS program version 20. RESULTS: Total number of participants was 108. Out of these, only 43(39.8%) mothers had knowledge of breast feeding, while rest of women had no awareness. Only 62(57.4%) women breast feed their babies. Majority of graduate women had not breast feed their babies as compare to women with lower education (P value. 0.182). Mostly women who were housewives were involved in breast feeding as compare to working women (P value 0.007). Regarding socioeconomic condition, upper class was involved less in breast feeding as compare to poor and middle class (P value 0.068). Inadequate breast milk was also a significant affecting factor on exclusive breast feeding. CONCLUSION: In this study concluded that upper socioeconomic status, working women and inadequate breast milk production are significant affecting factors on exclusive breast feeding. Keywords: Breast feeding, factors, exclusive breast feeding