Maternal characteristics and infant and young child feeding in Benghazi

Two hundred [200] mothers consecutively attending Al-Fateh Paediatric Hospital, Benghazi in 1992 were interviewed. The majority of women were under 30 years of age, had primary or no education, were housewives, had no experience of pregnancy wastage or child loss, used no contraception, had one to three living children, had information about breast-feeding from the mother-in-law, a relative or a neighbour, considered breast-feeding a natural way, nutritionally superior and hygienic, and practised mixed feeding. The reasons for introducing artificial feeding were maternal in 49.7% of cases, filial [related to the baby] in 36.5% and due to social pressure in 13.8%. Measures for successful breast-feeding are emphasized