Breast feeding, complementary feeding, and weaning practices, among children up to 2 years old in Gaza strip

The experience of die authors working with mothers in Gaza community in the of child and infant nutrition and their observation of incorrect weaning behavior, necessitated assessment of weaning practices for future intervention. The objectives of this study is to describe infant feeding attitudes and practices during breastfeeding [BF], complementary feeding [CF] and weaning [WP] for a sample of nursing mothers in the Gaza strip [GS] during the year 2009. The study is of cross-sectional design. The study sample consisted of 269 mothers of infants aged less than two years old Data were collected through face to face interviews of the mothers. The questionnaire contained questions related to infant feeding and weaning attitudes and practices of mothers towards their infants. Chi-square test was used to analyze data and P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Ethical approval was obtained verbally from each participant. In the present study 518% of infants were boys and 44.2% girls [Minimum age 1 month and maximum age 24 month]. The study revealed that 48.8% of the mothers weaned their children either suddenly or gradually. Complementary feeding was added between 3-5 months to 54.9% of the children that started to receive complementary feeding [post breast feeding]. The key limitation of this study was that the research team collected limited samples from all the five regions of Gaza Strip due to limited human and non-human resources. Satiety from complementary feeding was the prime cause for weaning followed by pregnancy of the nursing mother and then by breast refusal by the baby. The study showed lack of adequate knowledge by nursing mothers towards the procedure, practice and time of weaning and the importance of breast feeding. We recommend use of health education to assess and support the proper feeding practices amongst nursing mothers

Infant feeding in Gaza strip: mother knowledge, attitudes and practices

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