Comparison of growth and development of 0-7 month old infants who receive breast milk with a bottlefeed and breastfeed

Comparison of Growth and Development of 0-7 Month Old Infants Who Receive Breast Milk with a Bottlefeed and Breastfeed Objective: In this study, it was investigated how the feeding of breast milk with a bottle and breastfeeding affects the growth and development of infants and the reasons why mothers prefer a bottle-fed their infants. Materials and Methods: 121 babies aged 0-7 months who were admitted and only breastfeed included in the study. The "Mother-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS)" was used to measure the mother-baby attachment status, and the "Infant Attitude Feeding Scale (IOWA)" was used to evaluate the mother's attitude towards breastfeeding. Both groups were compared in terms of age, growth and development, maternal age, maternal education status, mother's employment status, family income, MIBS and IOWA scale score. Results: There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of infant's age, gender, growth and development, MIBS score, education level of the mothers and income status of the families. The mean maternal age was significantly higher in the breastfeed group. The number of working mothers and the IOWA scale score were found to be significantly higher in the group receiving breast milk with a bottle. Conclusion: In our study, mothers with high IOWA scale scores and working outside the home were found to be more risky in terms of bottle feeding. It was observed that mothers' preference of breastfeeding their babies increased as the maternal age progressed. There was no significant difference in the growth and development of infants, between the feeding of breast milk with a bottle or breastfeeding. Keywords: Breastfeed, Bottlefeed, IOWA, MIBS, Growth and development in children