Prelacteal feeding practice and maintenance of exclusive breast feeding in Bihar, India – identifying key demographic sections for childhood nutrition interventions: a cross-sectional study [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]

Background:  Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first six months of life is considered a high impact, but low-cost, measure for improving nutritional status, and reducing morbidity and mortality among children. However, providing prelacteal feed to a newborn, a widely practiced custom in rural...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Aritra Das, Guntur Sai Mala, Ram Shankar Singh, Amlan Majumdar, Rahul Chatterjee, Indrajit Chaudhuri, Tanmay Mahapatra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: F1000 Research Ltd 2019-06-01
Series:Gates Open Research
Online Access:https://gatesopenresearch.org/articles/3-1/v3
_version_ 1818454350538735616
author Aritra Das
Guntur Sai Mala
Ram Shankar Singh
Amlan Majumdar
Rahul Chatterjee
Indrajit Chaudhuri
Tanmay Mahapatra
author_facet Aritra Das
Guntur Sai Mala
Ram Shankar Singh
Amlan Majumdar
Rahul Chatterjee
Indrajit Chaudhuri
Tanmay Mahapatra
author_sort Aritra Das
collection DOAJ
description Background:  Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first six months of life is considered a high impact, but low-cost, measure for improving nutritional status, and reducing morbidity and mortality among children. However, providing prelacteal feed to a newborn, a widely practiced custom in rural India, is a major barrier to the practice of EBF.  The present study evaluated the association between provision of prelacteal feeding and continuation of EBF among children up to 3 months age in Bihar, a resource-poor Indian state. Methods: Data from four rounds of a population-based multi-stage sampling survey, conducted in 8 districts of Bihar between 2012 and 2013, were used for the present analysis. Using simple and adjusted logistic regression modelling, we tested the association of providing prelacteal feeding with two outcome measures - 1) giving only breastmilk during the last 24 hours, and 2) exclusively breastfed (EBF) since birth (excluding the first 3 days of life). Results: Among 10,262 children for whom prelacteal feeding data was available, 26% received prelacteal feeding. About 55% mothers reported that their children were exclusively breastfed, whereas 82% mothers provided only breastmilk to their children during the previous 24 hours. Children who received prelacteal feeding had approximately 60% lesser odds of being breastfed exclusively during the previous 24 hours [AOR = 0.39(0.33-0.47)] and 80% lesser odds of receiving continued EBF since birth [AOR = 0.20(0.17-0.24)]. Conclusions: Frontline workers (FLW) provide nutritional counselling to mothers and children of rural India. In order to improve uptake of EBF, the families practicing prelacteal feeding should be identified early and educated on the harmful effects of prelacteal feeding for EBF and subsequently on infant health. Midwives/nurses at the public and private facilities as well as the home birth attendants should also be made aware about the negative effects of prelacteal feed.
first_indexed 2024-12-14T21:53:29Z
format Article
id doaj.art-9e638937fc9e4cf5bac5bf8d0a053025
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2572-4754
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-14T21:53:29Z
publishDate 2019-06-01
publisher F1000 Research Ltd
record_format Article
series Gates Open Research
spelling doaj.art-9e638937fc9e4cf5bac5bf8d0a0530252022-12-21T22:46:11ZengF1000 Research LtdGates Open Research2572-47542019-06-01310.12688/gatesopenres.12862.314153Prelacteal feeding practice and maintenance of exclusive breast feeding in Bihar, India – identifying key demographic sections for childhood nutrition interventions: a cross-sectional study [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]Aritra Das0Guntur Sai Mala1Ram Shankar Singh2Amlan Majumdar3Rahul Chatterjee4Indrajit Chaudhuri5Tanmay Mahapatra6Concurrent Monitoring, Learning & Evaluation, CARE India Solutions for Sustainable Development, Patna, Bihar, 800013, IndiaConcurrent Monitoring, Learning & Evaluation, CARE India Solutions for Sustainable Development, Patna, Bihar, 800013, IndiaConcurrent Monitoring, Learning & Evaluation, CARE India Solutions for Sustainable Development, Patna, Bihar, 800013, IndiaConcurrent Monitoring, Learning & Evaluation, CARE India Solutions for Sustainable Development, Patna, Bihar, 800013, IndiaConcurrent Monitoring, Learning & Evaluation, CARE India Solutions for Sustainable Development, Patna, Bihar, 800013, IndiaProject Concern International, Patna, Bihar, 800001, IndiaConcurrent Monitoring, Learning & Evaluation, CARE India Solutions for Sustainable Development, Patna, Bihar, 800013, IndiaBackground:  Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first six months of life is considered a high impact, but low-cost, measure for improving nutritional status, and reducing morbidity and mortality among children. However, providing prelacteal feed to a newborn, a widely practiced custom in rural India, is a major barrier to the practice of EBF.  The present study evaluated the association between provision of prelacteal feeding and continuation of EBF among children up to 3 months age in Bihar, a resource-poor Indian state. Methods: Data from four rounds of a population-based multi-stage sampling survey, conducted in 8 districts of Bihar between 2012 and 2013, were used for the present analysis. Using simple and adjusted logistic regression modelling, we tested the association of providing prelacteal feeding with two outcome measures - 1) giving only breastmilk during the last 24 hours, and 2) exclusively breastfed (EBF) since birth (excluding the first 3 days of life). Results: Among 10,262 children for whom prelacteal feeding data was available, 26% received prelacteal feeding. About 55% mothers reported that their children were exclusively breastfed, whereas 82% mothers provided only breastmilk to their children during the previous 24 hours. Children who received prelacteal feeding had approximately 60% lesser odds of being breastfed exclusively during the previous 24 hours [AOR = 0.39(0.33-0.47)] and 80% lesser odds of receiving continued EBF since birth [AOR = 0.20(0.17-0.24)]. Conclusions: Frontline workers (FLW) provide nutritional counselling to mothers and children of rural India. In order to improve uptake of EBF, the families practicing prelacteal feeding should be identified early and educated on the harmful effects of prelacteal feeding for EBF and subsequently on infant health. Midwives/nurses at the public and private facilities as well as the home birth attendants should also be made aware about the negative effects of prelacteal feed.https://gatesopenresearch.org/articles/3-1/v3
spellingShingle Aritra Das
Guntur Sai Mala
Ram Shankar Singh
Amlan Majumdar
Rahul Chatterjee
Indrajit Chaudhuri
Tanmay Mahapatra
Prelacteal feeding practice and maintenance of exclusive breast feeding in Bihar, India – identifying key demographic sections for childhood nutrition interventions: a cross-sectional study [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]
Gates Open Research
title Prelacteal feeding practice and maintenance of exclusive breast feeding in Bihar, India – identifying key demographic sections for childhood nutrition interventions: a cross-sectional study [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]
title_full Prelacteal feeding practice and maintenance of exclusive breast feeding in Bihar, India – identifying key demographic sections for childhood nutrition interventions: a cross-sectional study [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]
title_fullStr Prelacteal feeding practice and maintenance of exclusive breast feeding in Bihar, India – identifying key demographic sections for childhood nutrition interventions: a cross-sectional study [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]
title_full_unstemmed Prelacteal feeding practice and maintenance of exclusive breast feeding in Bihar, India – identifying key demographic sections for childhood nutrition interventions: a cross-sectional study [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]
title_short Prelacteal feeding practice and maintenance of exclusive breast feeding in Bihar, India – identifying key demographic sections for childhood nutrition interventions: a cross-sectional study [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]
title_sort prelacteal feeding practice and maintenance of exclusive breast feeding in bihar india identifying key demographic sections for childhood nutrition interventions a cross sectional study version 3 peer review 2 approved
url https://gatesopenresearch.org/articles/3-1/v3
work_keys_str_mv AT aritradas prelactealfeedingpracticeandmaintenanceofexclusivebreastfeedinginbiharindiaidentifyingkeydemographicsectionsforchildhoodnutritioninterventionsacrosssectionalstudyversion3peerreview2approved
AT guntursaimala prelactealfeedingpracticeandmaintenanceofexclusivebreastfeedinginbiharindiaidentifyingkeydemographicsectionsforchildhoodnutritioninterventionsacrosssectionalstudyversion3peerreview2approved
AT ramshankarsingh prelactealfeedingpracticeandmaintenanceofexclusivebreastfeedinginbiharindiaidentifyingkeydemographicsectionsforchildhoodnutritioninterventionsacrosssectionalstudyversion3peerreview2approved
AT amlanmajumdar prelactealfeedingpracticeandmaintenanceofexclusivebreastfeedinginbiharindiaidentifyingkeydemographicsectionsforchildhoodnutritioninterventionsacrosssectionalstudyversion3peerreview2approved
AT rahulchatterjee prelactealfeedingpracticeandmaintenanceofexclusivebreastfeedinginbiharindiaidentifyingkeydemographicsectionsforchildhoodnutritioninterventionsacrosssectionalstudyversion3peerreview2approved
AT indrajitchaudhuri prelactealfeedingpracticeandmaintenanceofexclusivebreastfeedinginbiharindiaidentifyingkeydemographicsectionsforchildhoodnutritioninterventionsacrosssectionalstudyversion3peerreview2approved
AT tanmaymahapatra prelactealfeedingpracticeandmaintenanceofexclusivebreastfeedinginbiharindiaidentifyingkeydemographicsectionsforchildhoodnutritioninterventionsacrosssectionalstudyversion3peerreview2approved