A STUDY TO ASSESS THE KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE REGARDING WEANING AMONG MOTHERS IN RESPECT OF THEIR INFANTS IN SELECTED RURAL COMMINTY AT GWALIOR WITH A VIEW TO DEVELOP AN INFORMATION BOOKLET

BACKGROUND STUDY - Today’s children are the citizens of tomorrow. Unless the nutritional needs of the children are adequately met, we can’t ensure healthy citizens of future. The death rate is highest in the age group 0-4 years. This is result of malnutrition and infection. About 21% of total deaths are estimated to be in the age group 0-1 year. On the basis of unit body weight, the infant as well as the young child has need for the greater amounts of nursing food than adult. Breast milk is a best and safest food for the babies. It is important that babies should be given extra foods as well as breast milk at the right age in sufficient amounts to enable them to grow and stay healthy. Weaning is practiced from the ancient period. Generally, the first food is cooked food. This can be prepared from porridge, wheat, rice, maize or Ragi flour. Weaning has crucial role in the child-development. Weaning is described as the introduction of food other than breast milk in the most recent edition of the Oxford lexicon. Nowadays, the term is frequently and somewhat indiscriminately used to describe any switch in a child's diet from one type to another. For instance, from breast milk to animal milk in a bottle, or from animal milk to mixed meals. Weaning is a difficult period in infant's life, because if food supplements or substitutes are not adequate in quantity or quality, the child becomes malnourished According to WHO, the gradual replacement of breast milk by solid food as the main source of nutrition for infant is known as weaning. Complementary feeding means giving the child other nutritious foods in addition to breast milk. Breast feeding alone is sufficient food for first six months