Breast feeding practices: positioning attachment and effective suckling - A hospital based study in West Bengal / Kolkata.

Research Question: What is the status of breastfeeding practices-positioning attachment and effective suckling among postnatal mothers in a tertiary care hospital? Objectives: To evaluate breast feeding techniques and hospital practices along with its association with some socio-demographic factors. Settings: Postnatal ward of Calcutta National Medical College & Hospital Kolkata. Study design: Hospital based descriptive study. Participants: Postnatal mothers with their babies. Methodology: Systematic random sampling was done for interview and observation of 1004 mothers. Socio-demographic information breastfeeding practice and hospital practices were recorded and analysed. Results: 73.9% 71.8% and 53.9% mothers had fully correct practice regarding proper attachment suckling and positioning of the baby respectively. 47.7% mothers scored 2 in breastfeeding practice while 30.4% scored 3 and 3.2% scored 0. Association of age parity education socio-economic status and type of family with the breastfeeding practice score was significant. In 98.7% cases mother and baby were kept in the same room and 71.1 % babies put to breast immediately after birth. Breastfeeding technique was shown to 64.1% mothers but benefits and management of breastfeeding were told to 45.9% mothers.