(P07-042-23) Barriers in Exclusive Breastfeeding in Preterm Babies

Objectives: To assess the barriers in exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in preterm babies.

Methods: A single-centric hospital-based cohort study on mother- live preterm baby dyads (n=92) (based on written consent) from a public hospital of Vadodara city (Ethical number IECHR/FCSc/MSc/2021/118). Mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative), were used to assess the facilitators and barriers of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF).

Results: The average age of the mothers with preterm deliveries (n-92) was 23.84 ± 3.2 years, indicating that they were young mothers and 30% of them were underweight (BMI < 18.5). Severe complications such as pregnancy inducted hypertension (PIH), was recorded in 54.34% (n=50) and gestational diabetes (GDM), in 3.26% (n=3), while 16.3% (15) had PIH and GDM both at the same time. Out of all the mothers with PIH, 26.76% had a history of Miscarriages, 16.90% had a history of stillbirths, and 11.26% had a history of abortions. Of the enrolled preterm babies showed that 31% were stable very late preterm and 28% were moderate to late preterm. Of the preterm babies admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), 18% were moderate to late preterm (born between 34 to 38 weeks of gestation) & 12% were extreme preterm (born before 28 weeks of gestation). The major barriers in EBF noted in the NICU babies was complications in mother and child, while EBF was not followed in 48% of out of NICU babies due to self-reported poor milk (SRPM) or poor lactation counselling or poor latching (75%), stress and anxiety and psychosocial factors (25%).

Conclusions: Lactation counselling, early identification of risk factors in women, improve postprandial care, personal counselling and education can facilitate EBF and further improve normal birth weight of babies.

Funding Sources: Nil