Knowledge and Practice of Newborn Care Among Mothers of Infants in Kavrepalanchok District

Susmita Nepal, Smita Thapa
2017 The International Annals of Medicine  
In many communities around the world, newborn deaths are so commonplace that children are not even named until they survive their first month of life. Aims and Objectives: to identify the knowledge and practice of newborn care among mothers of infants. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was carried out with the sample of 96 mothers having less than 12 months old baby (infants) interviewed in two VDC of Kavrepalanchok district. Chi-square test was used to find out
more » ... he significance of newborn care and its knowledge and practice. Result: out of 96 mothers approximately 78% have inadequate knowledge and 7.3% mother have unsafe practice on newborn care. Respondents were highly aware of the interval of breastfeeding (33%), colostrums feeding (96%), cleanliness (93.8%) and thermal protection (78.1%) of babies. Approximately one-third of respondents (33.3%) lacking knowledge on umbilicus cord care. Regarding practice, approximately one in four respondents initiate breastfeeding within one hour after birth, more than 80% practice rooming in, all most all respondents postpone bath for first 24 hours of birth, Nearly two third of respondents(61.5%) practice of applying oil in umbilicus, more than 90% mother clean their baby's eyes and all babies was fully immunized. The Association was found between parity of mother (P-value<0.04) and place of birth (P-value<0.04) to knowledge on newborn care and parity of mother to the practice of newborn care (P-value<0.03). Conclusion: study findings conclude that there was a huge gap between knowledge and practice on newborn care.
doi:10.24087/iam.2017.1.4.111 fatcat:srobikmcrzd2vfcemc5tewymyi