Vol. 7, Issue 3, Part B (2021)

Background: Breast milk has its socioeconomic psychological, biological and immunological aspects. According to the recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 that was released last year, 41.6% children under 3 years of age were breastfeed within one hour of birth in 2015-2016 as compared to 23.4% in 2005-2006. Close to 55% of country’s children are exclusively breastfeed which was 46% till about a decade ago.

Objective of the study: To assess the actual and perceived problems in lactation among primi mothers in a selected Hospital of Guwahati, Assam.

Material and Method: The study adopted a descriptive research design, 170 samples were recruited using convenient sampling technique. Socio Demographic Performa and self administered checklist questionnaire for assessing the actual and perceived problems in lactation among primi mothers were used to collect data. Descriptive and Inferential statistics were used to analyse the data.

Result: The study revealed that, out of 170, majority i.e. 102(60.0%) respondents were in between the age group 18-26 years, 58(34.1%) respondents were in between the age group of 35-44 years, 10(5.9%) respondents were in between the age group 36-45 years and none of the respondents were above 45 years. 9(5.30%) respondents had mild range of actual problems in lactation whereas 8(4.70%) respondents had mild range of perceived problems in lactation,137(80.60%) respondents had moderate range of actual problems in lactation whereas 141(82.90%) respondents had moderate range of perceived problems in lactation and 24(14.10%) respondents had severe range of actual problems in lactation whereas 21(12.40%) respondents had severe range of perceived problems in lactation among primi mothers.

There is no significant association of actual and perceived problems in lactation among primi mothers with their selected demographic variables such as age, religion, educational status, and type of family, occupation, and family income, mode of delivery and sources of information on breastfeeding problems. Thus, research hypotheses is accepted and null hypotheses is rejected. There is significant positive correlation between actual problems in lactation and perceived problems in lactation among primi mothers (r=0.264, p=0.001) at 0.001 level of significance. Present data shows that when increase in actual problems in lactation, there is also increased in perceived problems in lactation.

Conclusion: The study clearly suggests that majority of the respondents have moderate level of actual and perceived problems in lactation. The study also shows that when increase in actual problems in lactation, there is also increased in perceived problems in lactation.