ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to identify breastfeeding status and effecting factors of mothers have 0-11 month’s babies at a Health Centre Area.

The cross sectional study was conducted at Health Centre Area in Ankara city centre. The target population of this study has been constituted 122 mothers that their ba-bies were born 1 January 2006-31 December 2006 and have been reached 121 mothers (99.2%). Prepared questionnaire forms have been filled by nurses using face-to-face interview method with mothers.

Sixty percent of mothers were between 20-29 ages and 40.5 percent graduated from the primary school. Eighty four percent of babies were desired and 52.9 percent girl. All mothers bre-astfed their babies sometime and 88.5 percent of mothers continue to breastfeed their babies. Mothers started to breastfeeding within first hour after delivery have been continuing to breast-feeding more than mothers started to breastfeeding after first hour. Seventy percent of mothers initiated to supplementary food at appropriate time. Mothers graduated from the primary school and below than the secondary school and above and monthly income was less than 1000 Turkish Liras than more than 1000 Turkish Liras initiated to supplementary food at more appropriate time.

Necessity of researching of the causes of behavior of mothers have high level of edu-cation and income that initiate to supplementary food at inappropriate time and giving educa-tion according to this and also giving more knowledge to mothers about continue to breastfeed and don’t give feeding bottle and pacifier have been thought.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Baby, Health Centre