Abstract

This study was conducted in order to define breast feeding habits in in the labour families in Aydın. We have interviewed with 468 mothers having babies just completed one year of age at Pediatric Outpatient Clinic of Aydın Social Security Hospital. Of all mothers, 70.7% breastfed over three months, 52.4% over six months and 19.45% over 1 year. Of all mothers 20.3% had started supplemental foods within first month and 66% within first three months. Of 468 mothers, 43.8% has terminated breast feeding because of insufficiency of their milk. 26.7% had sent their babies to one of the her relatives or had applicated bitter materials on the nipple of the breast in order to terminate breast feeding. All of mothers had breast-fed their infants whenever they cry and fed from both of breasts. The most common suplemantary initial foods were cow's milk, fruit juice and rice flour. Many of the mothers gave lime tea to their babies and used a pacifier sweeted with sugar or honey. Their knowledge sources about breast feeding were the close relatives, television, radio, newspapers and periodicals and health providers.