Breastfeeding Practices and Their Associated Factors among Mothers in Urban Communities of Punjab and Chandigarh: A Cross-sectional Study
Jasmeen Saini
Centre for Public Health, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India.
Dinesh Kumar *
Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India.
Manoj Kumar
Centre for Public Health, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Suboptimal breastfeeding practices present a significant public health challenge, contributing heavily to childhood undernutrition and mortality.
Aims: This study was undertaken to assess breastfeeding practices—specifically early initiation, prelacteal feeding, and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and to identify their associated socio-demographic and delivery-related factors among mothers in selected urban communities of Punjab and Chandigarh.
Study Design: This was a community-based, cross-sectional descriptive study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted over six months, from January to June 2025 in four urban clusters across Chandigarh and Jalandhar district, Punjab.
Methodology: A total of 340 mothers of infants under one year of age who met the predefined eligibility criteria were randomly selected using a multistage sampling technique and were interviewed using a structured, face-to-face questionnaire. Data quality was verified before analysis. SPSS version 26.0 was used for descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square tests to evaluate associations between factors.
Results: Among the 340 participants, 64.7% initiated breastfeeding within one hour of birth, 52.9% administered prelacteal feeds, and 44.7% practised exclusive breastfeeding. Maternal age was significantly associated with prelacteal feeding (p = 0.019), timing of initiation (p = 0.045), and EBF (p = 0.002). Socioeconomic status also showed significant associations with prelacteal feeding (p = 0.016) and initiation timing (p = 0.001). Only 3.4% of mothers undergoing caesarean sections initiated breastfeeding within the first hour compared to 86.5% of those with vaginal deliveries. Caesarean delivery also was associated with higher prelacteal feeding rates (86.5% vs. 41.0%). Maternal working status was not significantly associated with any breastfeeding indicator.
Conclusion: Significant gaps persist in urban Punjab and Chandigarh regarding breastfeeding practices, marked by low EBF prevalence and a high prevalence of prelacteal feeding. Targeted antenatal counselling, structured postnatal lactation support for mothers undergoing caesarean delivery, and community-level interventions may help improve child nutrition outcomes.
Keywords: Breastfeeding practices, exclusive breastfeeding, prelacteal feeding, caesarean section, urban communities, socio-demographic factors