Knowledge, practices and concerns regarding exclusive breastfeeding for six months among mothers of infants in a suburban setting in Sri Lanka

Objective: To assess the knowledge, practices and concerns on six months exclusive breastfeeding among mothers.

Method: In a community based household survey in Kaduwela MOH area, 217 mothers with a baby aged <1 year were interviewed.

Results: Of the mothers, 45% had >6 months old babies. All mothers knew the recommended duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Advantages of breastfeeding to the child were well known.  Among those with ≤6 month old babies, current exclusive breastfeeding rate was 85%.  Of those with >6 months old babies, 72% had exclusively breastfed them for 6 months. Mothers with ≤6 months old babies not being exclusively breast fed and the mothers with >6 months old babies not exclusively breastfed for 6 months, indicated that having to return to work (50%) and their opinions regarding amount of milk being inadequate (44%) and nutrients being inadequate (18%) as the reasons for not exclusively breast feeding up to the recommended age.  

Conclusions: Current breast feeding rate and proportions exclusively breast fed were high. Knowledge regarding the duration of breast feeding and other essential aspects was good.

Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2012; 41(1): 9-14

(Keywords: Exclusive breastfeeding; knowledge on breast feeding; opinions on breast feeding)

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljch.v41i1.4130