Knowledge, preferences, practices, and attitudes about breastfeeding among postnatal mothers in Uttarakhand, India: a cross-sectional study

Background: Breastmilk is the natural and safest first food for newborn. It has nutritional, immunological, behavioural, offers mother-infant bonding. Objective: The objective of study was to explore knowledge, practice, attitudes mothers towards breastfeeding. Material & Methods: A cross-sectional conducted among conveniently selected 950 postnatal attending immunization clinic paediatric OPD with their children vaccination treatment other minor illnesses from April 2018 November 2019 in hospitals Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. Mothers were face-to-face interviewed using structured preference, practices, attitude questionnaires about newborn Tools validated tested reliability. Results: average knowledge scores (11.72±1.78) indicated that have good Most (81.45%) fed babies colostrum, 82% exclusively also reported top feeds like honey, coconut water, grape ghuttee, lactogen 20% participants. score Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS) (58.11±6.44) lay range neutral related breastfeeding practices mothers. Conclusion: Breastfeeding adequate many mothers, but there throwing topfeed baby early initiation weaning. Thus, it necessary create awareness families correct feeding baby; eventually, will change.