Breastfeeding beliefs and practices among migrant mothers in slums of Diyarbakir, Turkey, 2001.
BACKGROUND
A qualitative investigation and a population survey were conducted to explore the breastfeeding beliefs and practices of mothers who were forced to migrate from their original villages and were currently living in the slums of Diyarbakir in Turkey.


METHODS
Qualitative data collection on breastfeeding beliefs was conducted using in-depth interviews. In-depth interviews were tape-recorded. Quantitative data on breastfeeding practices were collected using a structured questionnaire.


RESULTS
Mothers generally have a positive attitude towards breastfeeding, but colostrum is usually perceived negatively. No woman was found to feed her infant exclusively by breastfeeding. Only 9.9% of mothers initiated breastfeeding within the first hour of birth. Forty per cent of mothers started solid foods before 4 months. Mother's education appeared as a significant factor influencing the introduction of colostrum to the newborn. Mothers with lower education generally believed that the colostrum should not be fed to the infant and that a pregnant woman's milk is unhealthy for the baby. There was also a belief that 'working under the sun' decreased the quality of milk of a mother.


CONCLUSIONS
Cultural beliefs have a significant influence on breastfeeding practices. Some of these practices are potentially harmful to newborns. Health education programmes should address these beliefs and practices in culture sensitive ways.
Ergenekon-Ozelci
P
P
General Directorate of Maternal and Child Health and Family Planning, Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey.
Elmaci
N
N
Ertem
M
M
Saka
G
G
D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D014421:Turkey