Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
The transitional period from exclusive breastfeeding to family foods, is known as complementary feeding, and it is a very vulnerable period. WHO has developed and updated the guide "Complementary feeding: Family Foods for breastfed children" that gives a clear guidance for health care workers on how to promote complementary feeding.
OBJECTIVE:
To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers from the medical staff concerning complementary feeding, and pattern of their infants feeding
SUBJECTS AND METHODS:
A cross sectional study with analytic components was carried out online through Facebook, targeting members of close group of mothers from the medical staff. The study was done in 2018.
RESULTS:
The age of mothers ranged between (23- 44) years, (45.6%) were physicians, (54.2%) of them were prim gravida. 73.2% of mothers introduce the complementary food between the age of four to six months. The total knowledge score of mothers was (68.4 ± 23.03. The total attitude score was (44.1 ± 22.8). The total practice score of mothers was (51.25 ± 18.2). (59%) received their information from the internet.
CONCLUSION:
Almost half of the participants had a good knowledge, majority of them had poor attitude and almost half had a poor practice toward their infants feeding. Internet is the major source of their information.
KEYWORDS: complementary feeding, medical professions, online(facebook) group.a