Weaning Practices among Mothers: A Focused Group Discussion

Semi-solid foods are advised to be introduced after 6 months of age while continuing breast feeding to meet the increased physiological demands of the growing infant. Weaning is transitional to change from liquid to a solid diet, the feeding behavior changes from sucking to chewing and biting and the obligatory introduction with the mother or other caretaker changes to independent feeding. The study was undertaken to explore weaning practices in Rural, Urban and urban slum mothers

Qualitative Cross-sectional community based study of Mothers attending Anganwadi/immunization centre from urban, rural and slum areas. Data was collected by Focused Group Discussion (FGD) regarding General knowledge on infant feeding and Weaning practices was discussed. Data was analyzed by Content Based analysis and Ethnography.

Mothers had fair knowledge about the proper introduction of weaning foods. Children were fed with soft porridge for its satiety value, nature of soft consistency, perceived nutritional value and availability. Adherence to cultural belief regarding food choices and cooking practices for weaning age children became evident. Infants in urban and slum locality were weaned with cereals in most of the time where as infants from rural were fed with fruits like banana. Weaned foods were prepared separately by urban participants, but few from rural and most from slum areas didn't feel the importance of preparing the food separately

Practice of weaning was appropriate though the quantity of weaned food fed was less than the normal requirement. Variation in weaning practices existed among mothers of rural, urban and slum, in which the practice followed by urban mothers was acceptable. Adherence to cultural and traditional practices which influence the child nutrition was followed by mothers belonging to rural and slum areas.