Infant feeding practices: a study of mothers attending a teaching hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors associated with infants\' feeding practices among mothers attending a teaching hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Method: A cross sectional study was carried out in the College of Dentistry at King Saud University (CDKSU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Five hundred mothers who visited the dental clinic in CDKSU during a two-month period took part in the study. Data were collected via a questionnaire which contained socio-demographic characteristics of the mothers and the feeding practices of their infants.

Result: The participants were aged 25-45 years. Mothers aged 25-35 years and 36-45 years significantly practiced breast feeding more than the mothers below age 25 years and above 45 years (ANOVA p < 0.05). Mothers with more than four children practiced breast feeding more than others while those with one or two children used synthetic milk more often. No significant difference was found between type of feeding and educational level (p=0.1). However, there was a significant difference in feeding type by number of children (p=0.003). Mothers' age, level of education and the number of children all related to the age of the child when breast feeding was stopped. The habit of leaving the bottle or breast in child's mouth while the child fell asleep was only significantly related to the mothers' age but not to the level of education or number of children.

Conclusion: Mothers with more than four children practiced breast feeding more frequently while those with one or two children tend to feed their children with synthetic milk. The mothers' level of education did not influence the type of feeding.