KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF MOTHERS REGARDING COLOSTRUM FEEDING TO NEWBORNS IN RURAL PAKISTAN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers regarding colostrum feeding to newborns in North of Sindh province, Pakistan. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involving nursing mothers who are having any children under 2 years, conducted in three districts (Larkana, Qamber Shahdadkot and Dadu) of Sindh province, Pakistan from September- 2015 to January-2016. Systemic random sampling technique was used and every third woman was selected. Self-made questionnaire translated in Urdu and Sindhi language was used to assess socio-demographic status, knowledge, attitude and practice about colostrum from pregnant and nursing women. Data was analysed by SPSS-20. RESULTS: Of the 384 mothers, 269 (70.1%) nursing mothers had some knowledge about health benefits of colostrum while 115 (29.9%) had no knowledge about health benefits of colostrum. About 72.1% (n=277) mothers offered colostrum feeding while 27.9% (n=107) discarded colostrum believing that colostrum as non-milk, non-nutritious and causing diarrhea. The mothers who discarded colostrum offered honey (n=80/107; 74.8%); water (n=19/107; 17.7%) and herbal preparation (n=8/107; 7.5%) to babies as pre-lacteal feeding. The practice of discarding colostrum is more prevalent among the mothers aging ≤ 20 years (n=94/107; 87.9%), illiterate (n=89/107; 83.2%), experienced first pregnancy (n=70/107; 65.4%) and delivered their child at home (n=85/107;79.4%). Out of 384 mothers, 109 (28.4%) started breast-feeding in first hour after delivery 231 (60.2%) mothers received guidance about benefits of colostrum feeding from the healthcare professionals. CONCLUSION: More than a quarter mothers don t know about the health benefits of colostrum and offered pre-lacteal feeding to babies. Majority received guidance from health-professionals.