Impact of Educational Interventions on Lactating Mothers’ Breastfeeding Knowledge, Myths, and Nutritional Practices

Abstract

Breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition and immune protection for infants, yet many mothers in India face challenges such as inadequate knowledge, cultural myths, and poor nutritional practices, resulting in suboptimal exclusive breastfeeding rates. This study evaluated the impact of pamphlet-based educational interventions on breastfeeding knowledge, myths, and nutritional practices among lactating mothers. A quasi-experimental pre–post design was employed among 100 lactating mothers from Mumbai and Pune, recruited using purposive sampling. A structured questionnaire assessed knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding breastfeeding and maternal nutrition. A culturally adapted pamphlet-based educational session was delivered offline at Anganwadi centers in Mumbai and online via video calls in Pune. Post-intervention, the same tool was administered. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, chi-square tests, and ANOVA. Mean knowledge scores increased significantly from 10.68?±?2.14 to 13.14?±?1.31 (p?

Introduction

• Breastfeeding is the most complete and natural form of infant nutrition, providing essential nutrients and immune support.

• Despite global and national recommendations (e.g., WHO, UNICEF) for exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for 6 months, India shows suboptimal breastfeeding rates.

• Barriers include physical challenges (e.g., cracked nipples), cultural myths (e.g., discarding colostrum), and poor maternal nutrition awareness.

Study Objective

To assess the impact of pamphlet-based educational intervention on:

• Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) of breastfeeding

• Nutrition awareness and myth correction among lactating mothers in urban and semi-urban Mumbai and Pune

Methodology

• Design: Quasi-experimental pre–post intervention study

• Sample: 100 lactating mothers (≤ 6 months postpartum)

• Locations: Mumbai (offline via Anganwadi centers) & Pune (online via lactation groups)

• Intervention: Culturally relevant pamphlet covering:

  • Correct breastfeeding techniques

  • Colostrum importance

  • Myths (e.g., breast size ≠ milk production)

  • Nutritional guidance for lactation

• Assessment Tools: Pre- and post-intervention KAP questionnaires; statistical analysis using SPSS

Key Results

Pre-Intervention KAP Scores:

• Gaps existed in colostrum use, exclusive breastfeeding duration, and correct positioning.

Post-Intervention KAP Scores:

• Knowledge & Attitude significantly improved (p?<?0.001)

• Practice improved modestly but not statistically significant (p?=?0.176)

• Primiparous mothers showed greater improvements than multiparous ones (p?<?0.05)

Participant Profile (n = 100)

• Age: 70% aged 21–30

• Religion: 78% Hindu

• Parity: 55% first-time mothers

• Income: 60% middle-income (?20,000–?40,000/month)

• Source of knowledge: 52% healthcare professionals, 30% family elders

Discussion & Implications

• Pamphlet-based intervention was effective in improving:

  • Knowledge about breastfeeding benefits (e.g., colostrum, immunity)

  • Attitudes by debunking harmful myths

  • Practices, though improvement requires time and reinforcement

• Primiparous mothers are more receptive and could benefit most from early, antenatal education.

• Cultural myths (e.g., giving honey or discarding colostrum) remain deeply rooted and must be directly addressed through contextualized education.

• Maternal nutrition counseling helped improve awareness of dietary needs during lactation (e.g., calcium, iron, omega-3s).

Conclusion

• A simple, culturally tailored pamphlet can significantly enhance breastfeeding-related knowledge and attitudes.

• To ensure sustained behavior change, ongoing support and reinforcement are needed—especially in practice adoption.

• Scalable recommendation: Integrate pamphlet-based interventions into community-level maternal health programs (e.g., via Anganwadi centers), focusing particularly on first-time mothers.

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Conclusion

Pamphlet-based educational interventions are practical, culturally appropriate, and effective in improving breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes while reducing harmful myths among lactating mothers. Although behavioral practices showed only modest improvement, the observed trends indicate potential for sustained change with ongoing support and family involvement. Incorporating these low-cost strategies into routine maternal healthcare can bridge existing gaps in breastfeeding practices and maternal nutrition, contributing to improved maternal and child health outcomes.

References

[1] Bhandari, N., et al. (2003). Effect of community-based promotion of exclusive breastfeeding on diarrhoeal illness and growth: A cluster randomized controlled trial. Lancet, 361(9367), 1418–1423. [2] Bravi, F., et al. (2016). Impact of maternal nutrition on breast-milk composition: A systematic review. Nutrition Reviews, 74(8), 517–531. [3] Khresheh, R., et al. (2011). The effect of postnatal education on breastfeeding practice. International Breastfeeding Journal, 6(1), 2–8. [4] McFadden, A., et al. (2017). Support for healthy breastfeeding mothers with healthy term babies. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (2). [5] Patel, S., et al. (2020). Cultural beliefs influencing breastfeeding practices in India: A review. Indian Journal of Child Health, 7(3), 101–105. [6] Koletzko, B., et al. (2019). Maternal nutrition and lactation outcomes: A review. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 74(3), 186–194.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Ms. Tanvi Parab, Dr. Rajeshree Shinde. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.