Infant Feeding and Weaning Practices among Kashmiri Rural Population

Abstract

Objective: The study was carried out with the aim to assess infant feeding and weaning practices among Kashmiri rural population.
 Materials and Methods: The present investigation comprised 85 rural women having their children in the age group of 1-24 months. Samples were selected randomly .Data was analyzed in the form of percentages, mean and standard deviation.
 Results: Average age of exclusive breast feeding was 9.41±2.32 months.88.23 per cent of mothers fed colostrum to their babies while as 11.77 per cent were of the opinion that it is not good for baby’s health. Only 23.52 per cent considered breast milk as a complete food for their infants. The most common reason for terminating breast feeding was subsequent pregnancy.Upto 4 months of age infants were fed on demand. Cow’s milk or reconstituted milk was introduced by 80 per cent of respondents between the ages of 9-12 months. The foods introduced were chut and biscuits softened in tea, banana, mashed rice with milk, porridge, egg, cerelac and nestum.
 Conclusion: Breast feeding was a universal practice in rural women. Most of the infants were fed colostrum without knowing its importance. A small percentage of subjects weaned their babies from 4-6 months of age. Hence, mothers need to be educated about the significance of colostrum and introduction of semi- solid foods at an appropriate age. J Med Sci.2009;12(2):46-48