title: Breast-feeding knowledge and practices among mothers in Manisa, Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to determine breast-feeding knowledge and practices among mothers before and after an educational intervention on breast feeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  cross-sectional, descriptive study using a face-to-face questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Manisa Maternity and Children's Hospital, which has Baby Friendly status.
  
  
  METHODS
  158 women in the early postpartum period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  10.8% of women were not aware that they should offer colostrum to their babies. Only 43.7% of women commenced breast feeding within the first 30 minutes of giving birth. Prior to receiving the educational intervention, 55.7% of mothers knew how often they should feed their baby, 48.7% knew that they should breast feed their baby for two years together with additional food, although 55.1% of women did not know how to hold their breast during a feed. The mean pre-test score was 9.9 (SD 2.4; range 3-13), and the mean post-test score was 12.6 (SD 0.8; range 9-13). The difference between the mean pre- and post-test scores was statistically significant (paired t = 15.3, df = 157, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  given the integral role of breast feeding in improving overall community health, regular breast-feeding counselling should be offered, particularly during the pregnancy and early postpartum period.
authors.affiliation: Midwifery Department, Celal Bayar University, Manisa School of Health, 45010 Manisa, Turkey. emrenurse@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Emre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yanikkerem
authors.forename: Rahime
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Kezban
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Meryem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aslan
authors.forename: Gülten
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karadeniz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult