Objectives: Irrespective of the fact that breastfeeding in India is almost universal, psychosocial and cultural barriers still exists to early breastfeeding. The exact reasons for this delay are not clearly known. Hence we conducted this study to assess breastfeeding knowledge and practices and the factors influencing them among women in rural Punjab, India.
Methodology: We interviewed 1,000 women in a community-based analytical cross-sectional study that was carried out in 20 villages of the District of Amritsar, Punjab, India, in 2005-2006 by standard cluster sampling. Time at initiation of breastfeeding and variables like understanding about the importance of colostrum, nutrition during lactation, and motivation by health workers were assessed. Statistical analysis was done by percentages compared with the χ² test.
Results: Two hundred twenty-five respondents (23.8%) started breastfeeding their babies on the first day of birth, but in terms of early breastfeeding only 128 (13.5%) respondents put their babies on the breast within 4 hours of birth. Of the 1,000 respondents, 356 (35.6%) of the respondents were unaware of the importance of colostrum, 733 (77.6%) were not given advice on benefits of breastfeeding/weaning, and 306 (33.5%) of respondents had not increased their diet during lactation.
Conclusions: Early breastfeeding knowledge and practices were suboptimal among the mothers in rural Punjab. Health education on breastfeeding and nutrition remains the dark area. Research and public health efforts like one-to-one "breastfeeding counseling and health education on nutrition" to the mother by health workers should be promoted.