Knowledge, attitude, and practices of breastfeeding; education about breastfeeding need of hour

Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of pregnant women regarding breastfeeding. Methodology: This cross-sectional study included pregnant women who attended antenatal clinics at Akbar Niazi Teaching Hospital, Islamabad. The participants were given a structured questionnaire on their demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitude towards breastfeeding, and their breastfeeding practices. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and associations were examined through chisquare analysis. Results: A total of 124 pregnant women participated in the study. Their mean age was 32.2 +/- 2.1 years. Most highly educated participants (attended college/ university) had good knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding, while 12.4% had good knowledge and 7% had poor knowledge. We found 91.8% participants had a positive attitude, 6.6% had a neutral and 1.6% had a negative attitude. Only 56.2% of participants -initiated breastfeeding within the first hour after delivery, indicating a low rate of exclusive breastfeeding and a low rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months (37.8%). Conclusion: Pregnant women had good knowledge and positive attitudes about breastfeeding, but there were gaps in knowledge and practice. Prenatal care programs should focus on providing comprehensive breastfeeding education and practical guidance to promote optimal breastfeeding initiation and duration.