Perceptions and Practices regarding Breastfeeding among Postnatal Women at a District Tertiary Referral Government Hospital in Southern India

Table 3

Perceptions on the various aspects of breastfeeding ().

Question	Disagree; (%)	Neither agree nor disagree; (%)	Agree; (%)
Qualities of breast milk
Nutritious	48 (25.5%)	69 (36.7)	71 (37.7%)
Healthy	1 (0.5%)	6 (3.2)	181 (96.3%)
Protection from disease	54 (28.7%)	102 (54.3)	32 (17%)
Encourage bonding	11 (5.9)	84 (44.7)	93 (49.4%)
Contraceptive advantage	80 (42.6%)	106 (56.4)	2 (1.1%)
Lactating mother should not feel shy of breastfeeding in public places	62 (33.1%)	35 (18.7%)	90 (48.1%)
Breastfeeding is easier than infant feeding formula	73 (3.7%)	31 (16.5%)	150 (79.8%)
Breastfeeding has no negative effect on marital relationship	24 (12.8%)	68 (36.2%)	96 (51%)
Breastfeeding is good way to decrease family expenses	23 (12.2%)	50 (26.6%)	115 (61.1%)
Community encourages breastfeeding over feeding infant formula	7 (3.7%)	40 (21.3%)	141 (75%)
Doctors/nurses encourage breastfeeding	2 (1.1%)	4 (2.1%)	182 (97.8%)