Breastfeeding is a natural and traditional infant feeding practice throughout the world. Pre-modern societies were known to have a high incidence and long duration of breastfeeding. In modernizing societies such as India, newly emerging social forces are leading to the breakdown of age-old custom that adversely affects certain practices like breastfeeding 1. It is well documented that breastfeeding improves child survival by providing protection against infectious ABSTRACT Background: Objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the family level counseling to mothers on breastfeeding practices and weight gain in children. Methods: A community based cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in Udupi District in Karnataka State, South India. All the children born to pregnant mothers registered in the third trimester were followed until 2 years of age in selected Anganwadi (AW) centres. Results: Baseline characteristics of the subjects were found to be similar in both intervention and control groups. The baseline knowledge assessed on a 15-point scale showed similar mean score in both groups. Mean measured weight increased significantly in the intervention group (0.794 kg, p < 0.002) at 24 months of age. At 24 months more babies in intervention group were receiving breastfeeding than control group (68.6 % vs. 14.7 %, 95 % CI 2.01-10.80, and p < 0.001). Frequency of breast feeding at 4 months was 77.1 % in intervention and 57.8 % in control group (p < 0.0001) while at 6 months it was 77.1 % in intervention and 33.3 % in control group (p < 0.0001). The breastfeeding position assessed on a ten-point scale showed mothers in intervention group followed more than 7 correct positions than control group at birth, 4 months and 6 months of age (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The study shows promotion of child nutrition and breastfeeding practices in developing countries through family level counselling (IYCF strategy) will improve the nutritional status of children less than 2 years of age.
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