Pre-Lacteal Feeding Practices: An Infraction of Nutritionally Secured and Healthy Generations

Jump To References Section

Authors

  • Nidhi Katiyar
     Department of Home Science, Avvaiyar Government College for Women, Karaikal, Puducherry - 609 602 ,IN
  • Raajeswari P. A.
     Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore - 641 043, Tamil Nadu ,IN

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21048/IJND.2021.58.S2.28005

Keywords:

Pre-Lacteal Feeds, Breast Feeding, Working Lactating Mothers, Colostrum.

Abstract

Various studies have emphasized the role of breast feeding in the prevention of wide range of infancy infections. But initiation of breast feeding is hindered by the cultural practices of Pre-Lacteal Feeding (PLF). In India this practice of giving pre-lacteal feeds cut across all the communities as it is considered to have a positive effect on child's Gastrointestinal (GI) health and intellectual growth. However, PLF has a detrimental effect on the child's growth and development as it delays initiation of breastfeeding and prevents initial bonding between the mother and the baby. Evidently Infants who receive PLF are more likely to be malnourished. In Karaikal, practice of PLF is very common. Hence it becomes imperative to assess the prevalence of PLF practices. The objectives of the study included assessment of PLF practices, types of PLF and delineate the factors associated with same among the working lactating mothers. Locale of the study was Karaikal, Puducherry. A sample size of 427 lactating working mothers using non-probable purposive sampling (0-12months) was chosen. To elicit information a pre-designed, pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire was used. The data obtained was statistically analysed and showed prevalence of PLF practices among 47% of the mothers. 29% of the mothers gave sugar water to the newborns. Other PLFs included omam water (carom seeds), cow's milk, plain water, religious water, jaggery with honey, castor oil, mashed dates, mercury etc. 31% mothers cited traditional cultural practice running through generations as the reason behind giving pre-lacteal feedings, whereas other reasons included cleansing the GI tract (14%) and better suckling reflex (22%) etc. It may be concluded that PLF practices are one of the many faulty feeding practices prevalent in Karaikal, which are a major infraction of optimum growth and development. Hence there is an emergent need to educate mothers regarding ill effects of pre lacteal feeding along with benefits of colostrum, early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding which can reduce the chances of morbidity and mortality in infants and may thus lay foundation for nutritionally secured and healthy generations.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Downloads

Published

2021-09-02

How to Cite

Katiyar, N., & P. A., R. (2021). Pre-Lacteal Feeding Practices: An Infraction of Nutritionally Secured and Healthy Generations. The Indian Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics, 58(S2), 42–50. https://doi.org/10.21048/IJND.2021.58.S2.28005

Issue

Volume 58, Issue S2, January-March 2021

Section

Original Articles

License

All the articles published in IJND are distributed under a creative commons license. The journal allows the author(s) to hold the copyright of their work (all usages allowed except for commercial purpose).

Please contact us at editor@informaticsglobal.com for permissions related to commercial use of the article(s).

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

 

References

WHO. Breastfeeding; 2019 Available from: https://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/exclusive_breastfeeding/en/. Accessed June 10, 2020.

Goldman, A.S. Evolution of immune functions of the mammary gland and protection of the infant. Breastfeeding Med., 2012, 7, 132-142. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2012.0025

Goldman, A.S. Modulation of the gastrointestinal tract of infants by human milk. Interfaces and interactions: An evolutionary perspective. J. Nutr., 2000, 130, 426-431. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/130.2.426S

Newburg, D.S. and Walker, W.A. Protection of the neonate by the innate immune system of developing gut and of human milk. Pediat. Res., 2007, 61, 2-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/01.pdr.0000250274.68571.18

Kau, A.L., Ahern, P.P., Griffin, N.W., Goodman, A.L. and Gordon, J.I. Human nutrition, the gut microbiome and the immune system. Nature, 2011, 474, 327-336. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature10213

Savino, F. and Liguori, S.A. Update on breast milk hormones: Leptin, ghrelin and adiponectin. Clin. Nutr., 2008, 27, 42-47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2007.06.006

Christine M. Dieterich, Julia P. Felice, Elizabeth O'Sullivan and Kathleen M. Rasmussen, Breastfeeding and health outcomes for the mother-infant dyad, Pediat. Clin. North Am., 2013 60, 31-48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2012.09.010

Christie G. Turin and Theresa J. Ochoa. The role of maternal breast milk in preventing infantile diarrhoea in the developing world, Curr. Trop. Med. Rep., 2014, 1, 97-105.

Aubrey R. Maonga, Michael J. Mahande, Damian J. Damian and Sia E. Msuya, Factors affecting exclusive breastfeeding among women in Muheza District Tanga Northeastern Tanzania: A mixed method community based study, Mat. Child Health J., 2016, 20, 77-87. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1805-z

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). World Breast feeding Week, August 2020 data, https://data.unicef.org/resources/world-breastfeeding-week-2020/.

Najmeh Maharlouei, Amirhosein Pourhaghighi, Medical student, Hadi Raeisi Shahraki, Dariush Zohoori, and Kamran B. Lankarani, Factors affecting exclusive breastfeeding, using adaptive LASSO regression, Int. J. Comm. Based Nurs. Midwif., 2018, 6, 260-271.

Spitzmueller, C., Wang, Z., Zhang, J., Thomas, C.L., Fisher, G.G., Matthwes, A.R. and Strathearn, L. J. Organ. Behav., 2016, 37, 692-718. doi:10.1002/job.2061 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2061

MacMillan Uribe, A.L., Bolton, T.A., Woelky, K.R. and Olson, B.H. Exploring human resource managers' decision-making process for workplace breastfeeding-support benefits following the passage of the affordable care act. Mat. Child Health J., 2019, 23, 1348-1359. doi:10.1007/s10995-019-02769 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-019-02769-6

Gebrekidan, K., Plummer, V., Fooladi, E. and Hall, H., Work-related factors affecting exclusive breastfeeding among employed women in ethiopia: managers' perspective using a qualitative approach, Int. J. Women's Healt., 2020, 12, 473-480. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S248473

Wanjohi, Paula Griffiths, Frederick Wekesah, Peter Muriuki, Nelson Muhia, Rachel N. Musoke, Hillary N. Fouts,Nyovani J. Madise and Elizabeth W. Kimani-Murage, Sociocultural factors influencing breastfeeding practices in two slums in Nairobi, Kenya, Int. Breastfeeding J., 2016, 12, 5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-016-0092-7

Ahmad, S., Kumar, A., Agarwal, D., Shukla, M., Soni, S. and Patani, K.N. Evaluation of various socio-cultural factors affecting breastfeeding practices in a rural area of North India, Ind. J. Basic. Appl. Med. Res., 2016, 5, 382-389.

Singh, B. Knowledge, attitude and practice of breastfeeding-A case study. Eur. J. Sci. Res., 2010, 40, 404-422.

Muluken Bekele Sorrie, Elias Amaje, Feleke Gebremeskel, Pre-lacteal feeding practices and associated factors among mothers of children aged less than 12 months in Jinka Town, South Ethiopia, 2018/19, Plos one 15, 1-3. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0240583, October 13, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0240583

Asim, M., Ahmed, Z.H., Hayward, M.D. and Widen, E.M. Prelacteal feeding practices in Pakistan: a mixed-methods study. Int. Breastfeed. J., 2020, 15, 53. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-020-00295-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-020-00295-8

Amele, E.A., Demissie, B.W., Desta, K.W. and Woldemariam, E.B. Prelacteal feeding practice and its associated factors among mothers of children age less than 24 months old in Southern Ethiopia, Ital. J. Pediatr., 2019, 45, 15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-019-0604-3

Gedefaw, M. and Berhe, R. Determinates of childhood pneumonia and diarrhea with special emphasis to exclusive breastfeeding in North Achefer District, Northwest Ethiopia. A case control study. Open J. Epidemiol., 2015, 5, 107-112. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ojepi.2015.52014