Table 1.
Traditional practices in essential newborn care adopted by the mothers
| Traditional practices | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Feeding (n=59) | ||
| Colostrum | 23 | 38.9 |
| Prelacteals | 36 | 61.1 |
| Prelacteals (n=36)* | ||
| Sugar water | 28 | 77.8 |
| Honey | 6 | 16.8 |
| Butter | 3 | 8.3 |
| Others (goat milk, sugarcane juice) | 2 | 5.5 |
| Umbilical cord care (n=59) | ||
| Substance application | 56 | 94.9 |
| Vasambu (Sweet flag) | 27 | 48.2 |
| Coconut oil | 15 | 26.8 |
| Turmeric powder | 9 | 16.1 |
| Others (boric powder, antiseptic) | 5 | 8.9 |
| Thermal care (n=59) | ||
| Rooming in | 50 | 84.7 |
| Old cotton clothes | 51 | 86.4 |
| Bathing (n=59) | ||
| Within 24 h | 14 | 23.7 |
| Second day | 28 | 47.5 |
| Bathed after umbilical cord fell | 17 | 28.8 |
| Practices during bathing (n=59) | ||
| Massage | 49 | 83.1 |
| Removal of vernix | 40 | 67.8 |
| Blowing into nostrils | 27 | 45.7 |
| Substances Soaked* (n=22) | 22 | 37.3 |
| Neem leaves | 13 | 59.1 |
| Stones | 4 | 18.2 |
| Salt | 3 | 13.6 |
| Silver | 2 | 9.1 |
*Multiple responses