AWARENESS AND PERCEPTION TOWARDS BREASTFEEDING AMONG NURSING STUDENTS OF TERTIARY CARE CENTRE IN NEW DELHI

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 76 - 87, 28.02.2025

Ridhi Mehra , Yachna Setu

https://doi.org/10.33457/ijhsrp.1503074

Abstract

Poor breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices are widespread. The beneficial effect of breastfeeding depends on correct breastfeeding practices like timely initiation, colostrum feeding, and avoidance of prelacteal feeding. Breastfeeding support from healthcare professionals can be effective in influencing a mother’s decision to initiate and maintain breastfeeding. To assess knowledge, and perception regarding breastfeeding and complementary feeding and to identify various misconceptions about breastfeeding among nursing students. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 120 Nursing students by the Department of Community Medicine, NDMC Medical College and Hindu Rao Hospital Delhi, India. The information was collected by interviewing the nursing students with the help of pretested, predesigned proforma. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 21 was used for analysis. In this study, significance was set at p<0.05.
The majority of nursing students belong to the 18- 24 years age group with a mean age of 20.95 ± 1.37 (mean ± SD) years. The majority of the participants (71.7%) had adequate knowledge concerning exclusive breastfeeding. Most of the participants were aware of good attachment (77.5%) and proper positioning (89.2%) for breastfeeding. Lack of knowledge and various misconceptions about breastfeeding were reported. Nursing students need to receive adequate breastfeeding training so that they can provide the necessary support to the mothers for the betterment of the newborn.

Keywords

BREASFEEDING, COMPLEMENTARY FEEDING, NURSING STUDENTS

Ethical Statement

The Institutional Ethics Committee gave its clearance before data collection (North MDC Medical College and Hindu Rao Hospital of the Dean, date:15.02.2024 and approval number: 2024/256).

Thanks

The authors are grateful to all the nursing students who have contributed to this study.

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