2019, Cilt 6, Sayı 1, Sayfa(lar) 020-027
Assessment of Mothers’ Knowledge and Practices About Traditional Breastfeeding Termination Methods in Sivas
İlknur Yıldız1, Zehra Gölbaşı2
1Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Hemşirelik Bölümü, Sivas, Türkiye
2Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Hemşirelik Bölümü, Sivas, Türkiye
Keywords: Breastfeeding, cultural characteristics, weaning

Aim: This study was conducted to determine the mothers’ knowledge and practices about traditional breastfeeding termination methods.

Material and Methods: This descriptive study was carried out in three family health centers located in the city center of Sivas. 241 mothers were included in the sample. The data were collected with the Personel Information Form and the Traditional Breastfeeding Termination Methods Determination Form, and analyzed by number, percentage, mean and standard deviation.

Results: It was found that the average age of the mothers was 36.02 ± 8.07, 48.1% of them were primary school graduates, 93.4% were not working and 89.6% were living in province center. It was determined that among the methods used in the process of breastfeeding termination, the most known methods were to apply tomato paste on breasts (72.2%), to apply pepper on breasts (64.3%) and using pacifier (50.6%). It was found that the methods used by mothers in the process of breastfeeding termination were using the baby bottle (44.4%), distract child’s attention by giving him/her fruit juice (39.8%) and using pacifiers (38.6%).

Conclusions: It was observed that the methods used by mothers to terminate breastfeeding were collected under the headings of “removing the child from the breast by using some substances that will adversely affect the appearance of the breats and the taste of the milk”, “distraction of the child by using subtitutes such as bottle and pacifier or some food” and “getting away from the child”.