@article{Pirzada_Anwar_Gul_Iqbal_Noor_2021, title={USE OF PRELACTEAL FEEDS- STUDY IN TRADITION: Prelacteal Feeds}, volume={71}, url={https://pafmj.org/PAFMJ/article/view/5486}, DOI={10.51253/pafmj.v71i5.5486}, abstractNote={<p><strong>Objective:</strong> To find the types and frequency of prelacteal use, factors influencing their use and its impact on breastfeeding.</p> <p><strong>Study Design:</strong> Cross-sectional study.</p> <p><strong>Place and Duration of Study:</strong> Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan from Jul to Dec 2019.</p> <p><strong>Methodology:</strong> In the study, mothers and female attendants of newborn babies were interviewed following a specific questionnaire. The given answers were recorded and captured data about socio-demographics, knowledge, attitude and actual practices of mothers and families related to use of prelacteals. The results were analysed using SPSS 22.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> We interviewed 1601 mothers and female attendants of neonates. The mean age was 32.3 ± 8.2 years. Most of the females were married (1211, 75.6%) and resided in Lahore (1281, 80%). About one third, 581 (36.3%) were either illiterate or had inadequate schooling. Two-thirds (1000, 62.5%) of women wanted to give some prelacteal feed soon after birth. Honey was the most the commonest choice (in 722, 45.1%), seconded by ghutti (107, 6.7%). Most females (1467, 91.6%) wanted to give colostrum, and 1552 (96.9%) would breastfeed the baby. 1221 (75.2%) wanted to start mother-feed immediately or within 2 hours of birth.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> The use of prelacteal is common in Pakistan culture. A consistent effort is needed to counter the unsafe prelacteal use.</p>}, number={5}, journal={Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal}, author={Pirzada, Saima and Anwar, Zahid and Gul, Rafia and Iqbal, Nazia and Noor, Fatimah}, year={2021}, month={Oct.}, pages={1718–21} }