Factors Affecting Suboptimal Breastfeeding Practices and Their Effect on Nutritional Status of Infants in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bhubaneswar, India: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study that aimed to determine the factors that affect suboptimal breastfeeding practices among mothers, assess the nutritional status of infants 1-6 months of age, and determine the association between suboptimal breastfeeding practices and the nutritional status of infants. The study was done at various pediatric wards and outpatient departments of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. A total of 258 mother-child dyads participated in this study. Suboptimal breastfeeding practices (which means delayed initiation of breastfeeding, discarding colostrum, giving prelacteal feeding, or nonexclusive breastfeeding) and their associated factors (maternal, socioeconomic, environmental, and infant characteristics) were assessed, as well as the nutritional status of infants and its association with suboptimal breastfeeding. The prevalence of suboptimal breastfeeding was 45.7%. Significant factors included outborn delivery (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.50, p = 0.003), cesarean delivery (PR = 1.38, p = 0.03), preterm birth (PR = 1.47, p = 0.01), and lack of postnatal breastfeeding assistance (PR = 1.56, p = 0.02). Finally, suboptimal breastfeeding practices were associated with being underweight (p = 0.04) and with stunting (p = 0.01).