BACKGROUND: Knowledge about weaning is essential for mothers as it marks an important stage in a child's development. Weaning is the process of introducing a baby to solid foods and gradually reducing their dependency on breast milk or formula. It is a crucial phase in a child's growth and development as it provides them with the necessary nutrients required for their physical and mental development.
OBJECTIVE : To assess the knowledge about weaning practices among Postnatal mothers in Paramakudi.
SETTINGS AND DESIGN : A descriptive study was conducted in the selected area, selecting the mothers who have children of age 4-6 months. Mothers who can read Tamil were included in the study. Mothers who had Visual and Auditory impairment, who can’t read Tamil, Not willing mothers, women who had children diagnosed with inborn metabolic disorders, diabetes, heart disease, and infants who were on special feeds or diets were excluded from the study.
METHODS AND MATERIAL : The Parthian block was selected randomly among six blocks of Paramakudi HUD. A self-administered questionnaire was given to all the mothers with children between 4 to 6 months of age. Totally 60 mothers' response was collected and analyzed. A pre-validated questionnaire was used to collect the data from all the study participants. The data included were socio-demographic details and information regarding knowledge, timing, and practices of breastfeeding and weaning, and the nutritional importance of complementary food.
RESULTS : In our study, the Mean age of the participants was 25.6 + 3.7 years, with a minimum age of 20 and a maximum of 35 years. Occupation-wise, 23% were self-employed, 95% had own houses, and 47% were in a joint family. 60% of the participants had children aged 6 months and 33% had children of 5 months age. 93% of participants are aware of weaning and 97% of them known about weaning preparation and methods. About 87% of mothers were aware of the correct period to start weaning (6 months).About 75% of mothers are afraid of allergic reactions while starting weaning.
CONCLUSION : The majority of mothers followed exclusive breastfeeding and introduced complementary foods to their infant’s diet at the recommended age of six months. However, the quality of complementary food, composition, quantity, and frequency was found to be inadequate. Moreover, the majority of the uneducated mothers withheld complementary food from their babies which was attributed to their lack of education and knowledge. The present study will help mothers to prevent malnutrition and nutritional deficiency diseases. Knowledge about weaning methods and practices was found to be satisfactory. Teaching mothers about good weaning practices will help to promote the growth and development of the child, to realize its full genetic potential.