title: Predictors of breastfeeding problems in the first postnatal week and its effect on exclusive breastfeeding rate at six months: experience in a tertiary care centre in Northern India.
abstract: In spite of the countless benefits of breastfeeding, prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) has been far from optimal in the developing world. Breastfeeding problems at or after 4 weeks has been reported as one among the constraints to EBF. The study aimed to determine the breastfeeding problems in the 1 st postnatal week, their predictors and impact on EBF rate at 6 months. Under a prospective cohort design, 400 mother-newborn dyads were assessed for breastfeeding problems before discharge and at 60 ± 12 h of discharge. Nearly 89% of the mother-newborn dyads had one or more BF problems before discharge. Major concern was difficulty in positioning and attaching the infant to the breast (88.5%), followed by breast and nipple problems (30.3%). BF problems continued to persist even after discharge in a significant proportion of the mothers (72.5%). The only independent predictor of BF problems in the 1 st week was the caesarean section (odds ratio: 1.9, 95% confidence interval: 1.3-3.2, P < 0.05). There was a marked improvement in the EBF status (69.5%) at 6 months, and BF problems did not predict EBF failure at 6 months.
authors.forename: Sithara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suresh
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Kamlesh K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Manju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saksena
authors.forename: Anu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thukral
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Manju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vatsa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*