Knowledge, practice of mothers about breast feeding & determinants of exclusive breastfeeding in east odisha region of India.

Breast feeding is the safest, simplest, healthiest, least allergic, least expensive and best infant feeding method. It hasnutritional, immunological, behavioural and economic benefits and also provide desirable motherinfant bonding. The World Health Organization recommends the practice of exclusive breastfeeding of infants for the first 6 months after birth. Breastfeedingfulfils the infant’s needs for nutrition and growth and it also reduces child morbidity and mortality. Although breastfeeding is a common practice in India, several factors like some cultural beliefs and misconceptions etc. affect poor breast feeding practices. Most of the people do not properly understand the importance of the knowledge about breastfeeding how it should be given, the timings, duration, correct techniques and appropriate time of weaning mother’s milk. The study was taken up to assess the knowledge, attitude and actual practices of breastfeeding in the mothers of children less than 2 years of age who attendedwell-baby clinic for Immunization. This was a Observational (Cross-sectional) study atwell-baby clinic of IMS & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha for 12 months period. 786 mothers who visited thewell-baby clinic for immunization  whose children were less than 2 years of age were part of the cohort. Predesigned and pretested questionnaire were used to interview the mothers.