title: Effect of nutrition education of mothers on infant feeding practices.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess current infant feeding practices (IFP) in a relocated slum, to identity the lacunae, to outline, implement, and evaluate the gain in awareness and IFP followed by mothers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five mothers of infants aged 5-19 months were interviewed. Based on lacunae, Nutrition Education (NE) was imparted to mothers over two months. Tools used were individual counseling, participatory learning methods, positive deviance and early adopters approach aided with existing information education communication materials. Monthly weight and length of infants was also taken. Awareness and practices on infant feeding (IF) were reviewed at mid and post NE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Areas of concern at baseline were (i) discarding colostrum (77.0%), (ii) feeding prelacteals (80.0%), (iii) initiation of breast-feeding (BF) after 3 days (54.3%), (iv) absence of exclusive breast-feeding (86.3%), (v) delayed complementary feeding (CF) and (vi) feeding CF grossly inadequate in quality, quantity, frequency and consistency. Post NE results revealed an improved awareness about IF amongst the mothers. An improvement was seen in variety, quantity and consistency of CF fed. Active feeding behaviours were adopted (6.6% pre-NE vs 66.6% post-NE). Early adopters (24%) served as motivators. Weight for age and weight for length showed improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NE programs of shorter duration using a 'communication mix' of channels with repeated reinforcement can bring about improvement not only in awareness but also in IFP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Foods and Nutrition, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi, India. vani_sethi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Vani
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sethi
authors.forename: Sushma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashyap
authors.forename: Veenu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Seth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001903:Bottle Feeding; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education*; D011204:Poverty Areas