Breastfeeding and infant/young child feeding in Nepal

Authors

  • Sunil Shah Department of Community Medicine, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Teaching Hospital, Ranigaon, Bhairahawa, Rupandehi, Nepal
  • Jose Augusto R. Simoes Department of Medical Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Faculty of Health Sciences, Portugal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20185226

Keywords:

Breastfeeding, Food and liquids, Complementary feeding, Prelacteal feeding

Abstract

Background: Under nutrition being a major problem in Nepal, it is necessary to meet the minimum dietary standard which is essential for growth and development of young children, so promotion of infant and young child feeding practices among children is important intervention.

Methods: A descriptive, cross sectional study was conducted among mothers of children of Bardia and Kailali districts of under 2 years and data was collected using the pre-tested questionnaire.

Results: The study shows 30.3 percent of the mothers initiated breastfeeding within an hour of birth, 47.9 percent gave colostrums, 25.5 percent were practicing exclusive breastfeeding at 6 or more months,60 percent mothers fed anything else as prelacteal feed before breast feeding, 60 percent of mothers started complementary feeding between 3-6 months, 47.9 percent of mothers used anything from a bottle with a nipple yesterday or last night, 74.8 percent of mothers were currently breast feeding their children, 58 percent used iodized salt and 70.05 percent revealed that their child received Vit A within last six months.

Conclusions: The present study showed that late initiation of breast feeding and practice of prelacteal feeds among home delivered mothers being high. The frequency of complementary feeding ranged was less and early/late weaning are still widely prevalent, use of bottle feeding is high, use of iodized salt is still low. There is a need to educate the mothers regarding proper infant/child feeding practices. 

Author Biographies

Sunil Shah, Department of Community Medicine, Universal College of Medical Sciences, Teaching Hospital, Ranigaon, Bhairahawa, Rupandehi, Nepal

Department of Community Medicine,Lecturer

Jose Augusto R. Simoes, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Beira Interior, Faculty of Health Sciences, Portugal

Department of Medical Sciences,Associate Professor

References

Malla S, Shrestha, SM. Complementary Feeding Practices and its Impact on Nutritional Status of under Two Old Children in Urban Areas of the Kathmandu, Nepal. Journal of Nepal Health Research Council. 2004;2(1):1-4.

Hazir T, Snarath U, Agho K, Akram DS, Abbasi S, Dibley MJ. Determinants of inappropriate timing of introducing solid, semi-solid or soft food to infants in Pakistan: Secondary data analysis of Demographic and Health Survey 2006–2007. Matern Child Nutr. 2012;8(s1):78–88.

Subba SH, Chandrashekhar TS, Binu VS, Joshi HS, Rana MS, Dixit SB. Infant feeding practices of mothers in an urban area in Nepal. Kathmandu Univ Med J (KUMJ). 2007;5:42–7.

Imdad A, Yakoob MY, Bhutta ZA. Impact of maternal education about complementary feeding and provision of complementary foods on child growth in developing countries. BMC Public Health. 2011;11(Suppl 3):S25.

Department of Health Services and Ministry of Health and Population. Annual Report 2008/2009. Nepal: Department of Health Service; 2009.

Black RE, Allen LH, Bhutta ZA, Caulfield LE, Onis M, Ezzati M, et al. Maternal and child under nutrition: global and regional exposures and health consequences. Lancet. 2008;371(9608):243–60.

WHO Programme of Nutrition. Complementary feeding of young children in developing countries: a review of current scientific knowledge. WHO/NUT/98.1 Geneva: World Health Organization, 1998. Available at http://www.who. int/iris/handle/10665/65932. Accessed 9 June 2018.

Osrin D, Tumbahangphe KM, Shrestha D, Mesko N, Shrestha BP, Manandharet MK, et al. Cross sectional community based study of care of newborn infants in Nepal. BMJ 2002;325(7372):1063.

Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) [Nepal], New ERA, and ICF International Inc. Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011. Kathmandu, Nepal: Ministry of Health and Population, New ERA, and ICF International, Calverton, Maryland; 2012.

Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) [Nepal], New ERA, and Macro International Inc. Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2006. Kathmandu, Nepal: Ministry of Health and Population, New ERA, and Macro International Inc; 2007.

Deolalikar AB. Poverty and child malnutrition in Bangladesh. J Dev Soc. 2005;21(1–2):55-90.

Senarath U, Agho KE, Akram DE, Godakandage SS, Hazir T, Jayawickrama H, et al. Comparisons of complementary feeding indicators and associated factors in children aged 6–23 months across five South Asian countries. Matern Child Nutr. 2012;8(Supple 1):89–106.

Pandey S, Tiwari K, Senarath U, Agho KE, Dibley MJ, South Asia Infant Feeding Research Network. Determinants of infant and young child feeding practices in Nepal: secondary data analysis of Demographic and Health Survey 2006. Food Nutr Bull. 2010;31(2):334–51.

Das N, Chattopadhyay D, Chakraborty S, Dasgupta A. Infant and young child feeding perceptions and practices among mothers in a rural area of West Bengal, India. Annals Med Health Sci Res. 2013;3(3):370–5.

Khanal V, Scott JA, Lee AH, Karkee R, Binns CW. Factors associated with early initiation of breastfeeding in Western Nepal. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2015;12(8):9562-74.

Roy S, Dasgupta A, Pal B. Feeding Practices of Children in an Urban Slum of Kolkata. Indian J Community Med. 2009;34(4):362-3.

Cai X, Wardlaw T, Brown DW. Global trends in exclusive breastfeeding. Int Breastfeed J. 2012;7(1):12.

Manandhar K, Manandhar DS, Baral MR. One year follow up study of term babies born at Kathmandu medical college teaching hospital. Kathmandu Univ Med J (KUMJ). 2004;4(8):286-90.

Child Health Profile of Nepal, 2003.

Victora CG, Smith PG, Vaughan JP, Nobre LC, Lombardi C, Teixeira AM, et al. Evidence for protection by breast-feeding against infant deaths from infectious diseases in Brazil. Lancet. 1987;2(8554):319-22.

Downloads

Published

2018-12-24

How to Cite

Shah, S., & Augusto R. Simoes, J. (2018). Breastfeeding and infant/young child feeding in Nepal. International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health, 6(1), 51–56. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20185226

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles