Mukaddes KILIC SAGLAM
The Atlantic Journal of Medical Science and Research - 2026;6(1):20-29
Aim: The complementary feeding (CF) period is a multidimensional process that includes offering age-appropriate foods, ensuring adequate portion sizes, appropriate meal timing, dietary diversity, and suitable feeding practices. This study aimed to evaluate mothers' CF practices and identify common mistakes in light of current literature. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted with 753 mothers of children aged 12-72 months. Data were collected using an online questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, breastfeeding and CF practices, timing of food introduction, feeding methods, and challenges encountered during the CF period. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for data analysis. Results: Most mothers (80.2%) reported difficulty in defining the CF process. CF was initiated based on healthcare professional recommendations by 36.9% of mothers. Early CF initiation (<6 months) was reported by 37.2% of participants. Prior to CF, 69.4% of infants were exclusively breastfed, and 61.9% of mothers introduced new foods for at least three days. Yogurt (51.0%) and pureed vegetables (34.8%) were the most common first foods. A combined feeding approach (traditional spoon-feeding and baby-led weaning) was used by 67.7% of mothers, and 49.4% obtained CF information from healthcare professionals. Only one CF meal per day was provided by 12.7% of mothers, while 12.9% offered only tasting amounts. Delays in introducing key foods were observed, including eggs, meat, fish, legumes, nuts, and cow's milk. Notably, 30.1% of mothers had not introduced cow's milk by 72 months of age. Conclusion: The CF period poses significant challenges for mothers. During this period, dietary diversity is often insufficient, essential macro- and micronutrients are not adequately provided, meal frequency is suboptimal, and inappropriate feeding practices are common. These findings underscore the need to update national feeding guidelines and strengthen evidence-based education for both healthcare professionals and families.
