Do the fathers matter? Paternal perspective of exclusive breastfeeding practices: A community-based cross-sectional study in urban slums of Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Abstract

Introduction Although various policies have been framed to improve exclusive breastfeeding outcomes in India, the father’s role in breastfeeding is grossly ignored. Gender inequalities are still predominant in several parts of India. Fathers’ involvement in breastfeeding decision-making plays a significant role in improving the outcome. However, till now, this domain has been neglected in India. Henceforth, we aimed to see the knowledge and attitudes of fathers regarding breastfeeding in a community setting. Methods It was a community-based cross-sectional study done in the urban slums of Bhubaneswar, Odisha. One hundred seventy-one fathers with their children between six months and one year were recruited by simple random sampling. Knowledge was assessed with a semi-structured questionnaire, and attitude was measured with the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFA). Results In the present study, 1.18% of fathers had good knowledge regarding breastfeeding. 46.2% had average knowledge regarding breastfeeding, and 57.3% had positive attitudes toward formula feeding. Discussion We have found that most fathers had a positive attitude toward formula feeding, and very few fathers had good knowledge of breastfeeding. Henceforth, further focus in this area is required to improve breastfeeding outcomes.

Keywords

• attitude
• breastfeeding
• exclusive breastfeeding
• fathers
• knowledge