Table 1 Baseline characteristics of intervention and control arms post randomization

Mothers age (y)

 <=24

55.1

50.9

 25–30

38.7

41.0

 > = 31

6.2

7.9

Mother’s BMI (kg/m²)

 < 18.5

9.3

5.0

 > 18.5

90.8

95.0

Religion

 Hindu

70.9

63.8

 Muslim

13.1

30.1

 Christian

0.8

0.2

 Sikh

0.2

0.0

 Buddhist

14.8

6.0

 Others

0.2

0

Caste

 Other backward classes(OBC)

38.3

39.7

 Scheduled castes(SC)

20.4

12.9

 Scheduled tribes(ST)

19.3

10.0

 Others

22

37.4

Mother can read

 Yes

99.0

95.0

Mother can write

 Yes

98.8

96.2

Maternal education (y)

 < 10

16.6

24.5

 10–12

53.4

46.1

 > 12

30.1

29.5

Age at marriage (y)

 < 21

40.5

45.5

 21–30

59.0

54.2

 > 30

0.6

0.4

Working hours per day (Mean ± SD)

6.6 ± 3.5

4.4 ± 2.1

Household Wealth index

 Poorest

18.4

21.6

 Poorer

22.4

18.2

 Middle

26.3

24.5

 Richer

16.4

14.5

 Richest

16.4

21.2

Exposure to mass media

 Not at all/At least once a week

9.1

16.2

 Almost everyday

90.9

83.8

Number of decisions participant make

 0

20.6

30.1

 1–2

32.8

29.5

 3–4

11.0

6.7

 5–7

35.7

33.7

Allowed to visit market places

 Alone

2.3

6.8

 With someone else/Not at all

97.7

93.2

Allowed to visit health facility

 Alone

2.0

7.0

 With someone else/Not at all

98.1

93.1

Allowed to go outside the village / community

 Alone

1.2

3.1

 With someone else/Not at all

98.9

96.9

Is she a primi gravida?

 Yes

56.0

49.5

Period of gestation (weeks) according to LMP (Mean ± SD)

33.8 ± 1.4

33.9 ± 1.3

Number of ANC visits attended (Mean ± SD)

6.1 ± 2.3

7.9 ± 3.6

She takes iron and folic acid supplementation

 Yes

89.9

83.4

She takes calcium supplementation

 Yes

83.4

83.2

Number of the tetanus immunization doses received (Mean ± SD)

2 ± 0.1

2 ± 0.2

Received advice on breastfeeding at least once during antenatal period

 Yes

24.1

9.9

 Received the advice on breastfeeding from Doctor

 Yes

14.6

3.3

 Received the advice on breastfeeding from Nurse

 Yes

6.9

0.8

 Received the advice on breastfeeding from Social worker

 Yes

1.4

1.2

 Received the advice on breastfeeding from Relative

 Yes

8.1

4.3

Breast examination done by Doctor /Nurse

 Yes

4.6

1.7

Breast problem on examination

 a) Flat nipple

0.2

0.2

 b) Inverted Nipple

0.2

0.0

She breastfed her previous children

 Yes

81.8

82.0

Any obstetrics complication

 Yes

1.0

1.9

Any infections during pregnancy

 Yes

1.0

1.0

Any systemic illness^a

 Yes

0.0

0.6

Hemoglobin level (g/dL)

9.9 ± 0.6

10.6 ± 0.9

 Family have a phone

 Yes

96.9

97.7

 Family have a Landline phone

 Yes

5.5

5.6

 She is having cell phone for personal use

 Yes

41.4

47.0