Methodology: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted using structured questionnaires. Nonprobability convenient sampling technique was employed to select 40 nursing mothers who visited paediatric department at selected Hospital and were available on the days of data collection. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: There was a significant association between Socio-Demographic characteristics of mothers such as age, educational status, occupational status, religion, type of family, monthly income.

Conclusion: This study helped to identify the Reasons for initiating the mixed feeding, 13 (92.9%) were initiated mixed feeding due to insufficient milk production, 9(64.3%) mothers started due to child does not gain adequate weight as well as painful breast. 6(42.9%) mothers started due to child refuse to take breast milk, 4(28.6) due to continuous cry of the child even after breast feeding. Generalization of this finding is limited due to less sample size. Perception of insufficient milk is one of the reasons for early cessation of exclusive breast feeding which made mothers to start mixed feeding at earliest. Health care professionals can prepare the interventions related to improve the perceptions of mother on low milk supply which can help in increase the duration of exclusive breast feeding which is essential for infant health.

Most nursing mothers use infant formula feeds as either supplement or substitute for breast milk based on their perception that breast milk may not be sufficient for the babies despite the high cost of these artificial milk. This puts the babies at a higher risk of compromised health and malnutrition which has the potential of increasing infant mortality. Most of the mothers are not practicing exclusive breastfeeding because of insufficient milk production.