Abstract

ABSTRACTBackground: Human milk is the ideal and uniquely superior food for infant for first year of life . Some sociodemographic factor correlate most strongly with the prevalence and duration of breast feeding.Objectives: To determine the prevalence of breast feeding and factors influencing the feeding practices in a study population in Thi qar governorate.Design: Cross – sectional study.Methods: in three hospitals in Thi qar governorate , the mother of infants in the primary health care units of these hospitals , had been randomly selected and interviewed with a questionnaire which included information about the age , sex and mode of feeding for the infants , and the sociodemographic status of the mothers. The sociodemographic variables included , urban / rural residence, educational level , occupation or employment , family income , place and type of delivery and contraceptive use .Results: the prevalence of breast feeding was 90% , and bottle feeding prevalence was 10 % the mean time of weaning was 11 months .Factor that were significantly associated with duration of breast feeding were maternal age , level of education , area of residence , occupation , family income , place and type of delivery and contraceptive use . The most common reasons for refusing to breast feed were in adequate secreted and the mother employment outside the home .Conclusions: the prevalence of women nursing breast feeding was higher than the estimated national data the prevalence of the bottle – feeding was higher in women who needed to work out of their homes and in those with higher educational level

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The article was added to IASJ on 2012-07-04

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