Investigation of feeding patterns in the first 6 months of babies born BY cesarean section and vaginal delivery

This study aims to evaluate the feeding patterns of babies born by cesarean section and vaginally for the first six months, using retrospective data. The population of the study consists of 307 mothers with 0-6 months old babies who applied to Sakarya University Medico Social Center Pediatrics Polyclinic and agreed to participate in the study. A data form consisting of four parts was used in the research. In the evaluation of the data, frequency distribution for categorical variables, descriptive statistics for numerical variables, and chi-square and t-tests were used to evaluate whether there was a difference between birth patterns. For statistical significance, p<0.05 was accepted. 42.8% of the participants gave birth by cesarean section. The duration of exclusive breastfeeding is 5.06±1.48 months for cesarean section and 5.39±1.02 months for vaginal delivery. While the rate of feeding their babies with breast milk + formula was higher at a rate of 36.6% in mothers who gave birth by cesarean section, it was found that feeding their babies with breast milk was higher at a rate of 72.6% in mothers who gave birth by vaginal delivery. According to our research results, it was found that mode of delivery affects initial breastfeeding time, exclusive breastfeeding time and total breastfeeding duration. It has been found that the mode of delivery is related to the nutrition of the baby, and it is recommended to carry out studies to increase the rate of vaginal delivery and to provide prenatal breastfeeding education. Keywords: human milk, mode of delivery, infant formula, normal delivery, cesarean section