Awareness and Practices Regarding Weaning among the Mothers Having Young Children Attending a Children’s Hospital, Kathmandu

Abstract

The objective of the study was to identify the awareness and practice regarding weaning among the mothers having young children attending OPD in Kanti Children Hospital, Kathmandu. A descriptive research design was adopted and 200 mothers’s who have children between 6-24 months of age willing to participate in the study were interviewed by taking informed consent. 

Study finding revealed that majority (80%) of the respondents heard about the term weaning food. Among them only 60% were aware about the term weaning food means giving additional food along with breast milk to baby at the age of 5-6 months. 

Similarly in regard to practice, majority (80%) of respondents were breastfeeding their child and 38% mothers practiced to give cow/buffalo milk to feed their baby prior to weaning. Most (70%)of the respondents mentioned that they used to celebrate weaning ceremony(pasni), among them 50% said that the time of celebrating weaning ceremony was between 5- to 6 months and 40% had started before 5 months of age.