الملخص
A clinic-based study conducted in Gaza strip, surveyed 268 mothers of infants
aged 2-24 months old in five governmental clinics for breast-feeding habits of their
children. The children were selected during the day of receiving vaccination or during
visiting for other reasons such as when visiting clinics for follow-up appointments or
for receiving tonics.
Information was collected with regards to the feeding behavior of the youngest child.
The data collection instrument was a self-designed semi-structural questionnaire.
Results showed that the frequency of breast-feeding at some point of time was more
than 92%, exclusive breast-feeding reached 38%. Eighty five percent (85%) of the
mothers had been informed about the importance of breast-feeding. Conducive
environment for breast-feeding at home was demonstrated through the support of
surrounding people especially the grandmothers. Health system is still insufficiently
supportive of breast-feeding practices since the prevalence of mothers had received
support and advice from physicians and nurses post labor was 43%. The main source
of information about breast-feeding was through primary health care practitioners and
health education. Media represented 22% of the average of information sources. The
results also showed that 46% of infants were breast-fed for less than one year.
The study also found that 13% of the mothers were not interested in feeding
colostrums. More than 26% had introduced solid foods before the age of 4 months.
Mother’s attitudes regarding the early introduction of infant formula reached almost
70% of the surveyed mothers. The reasons mentioned were that this might calm down
the infants (38%) and reduce neonatal jaundice (32.5%). The survey showed that
there was a tendency to introduce solid foods both early on and late and this was
significantly related to the level of awareness and duration of breast-feeding.