Comparison of the Breastfeeding Practices of Refugee Syrian Mothers and Native Turkish Mothers

Background: The World Health Organization recommends that babies be breastfed within the first hour of delivery and that they should exclusively be given breast milk in the first 6 months. The aim of this study was to ascertain the breastfeeding behaviors of refugee Syrian women and to compare their practices with those of the native mothers of the local community. Materials and Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study. The study was conducted in a Southern city in Turkey. The questionnaire was filled by face-to-face interviews. A total of 381 refugee Syrian mothers were compared with 381 native women living in the same community. Results: A significant difference was found between the two groups regarding breastfeeding. The rate of those who initiated breastfeeding within 1 hour after delivery was 61.4% for the Syrians and 71.1% for the Turkish mothers. In addition, the rates of exclusive breastfeeding (28.1 versus 34.1) and continuing breastfeeding for 12 months (55.0 versus 63.8) were lower in the Syrian refugee mothers. Maternal age and educational level were not correlated to the breastfeeding rates. Conclusions: This study is a rare study in which refugee mothers and local mothers were compared. Forced migration and refugee status are negatively associated with breastfeeding behavior.