Participation of pregnant women in a community-based nutrition program in Mumbai’s informal settlements: Effect on exclusive breastfeeding practices

The document explores the impact of a community-based nutrition program conducted by the Society for Nutrition, Education, and Health Action (SNEHA) in Mumbai's informal settlements. The study focuses on improving exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practices among mothers and infants under six months of age. It highlights the program’s strategy of enrolling pregnant women and providing personalized counselling to enhance maternal and infant health outcomes.

Key findings indicate that mothers who received counselling through home visits or group sessions by trained community health workers (CHWs) were more likely to exclusively breastfeed. Prenatal enrolment in the program significantly increased the likelihood of EBF, as these mothers benefited from early and repeated interactions with CHWs. Factors positively associated with EBF included normal infant weight-for-height, public health facility delivery, and maternal awareness, while prelacteal feeding negatively impacted EBF rates.

The research underscores the importance of integrating maternal and child nutrition programs with government health services to address barriers in urban informal settlements. It suggests that early and sustained engagement, combined with addressing cultural practices, can improve breastfeeding practices and child nutrition outcomes. Despite its successes, the study acknowledges limitations such as data constraints and challenges in capturing the migratory population, calling for more robust, scalable interventions.