Assessment of Mothers’ Knowledge about Bottle Feeding Sterilization in Tikrit City – Iraq
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31149/ijimm.v3i4.2988Keywords:
Infant Feeding, Feeding Bottles, Bottle Sterilization, Maternal Knowledge, DiarrheaAbstract
Infant formula needs to be prepared and handled safely, which involves proper cleaning and sterilization of the feeding equipment. Poor bottle hygiene conditions can contribute to microbial contamination and to the GIT infection of infants who are fed with formula or mixed feeding, especially for diarrhea. The objectives of this study were to determine the level of knowledge and practices of mothers about cleaning and sterilization of infant feeding bottles and to find out the most common methods of sterilization used among mothers in Tikrit City, Iraq. A cross sectional study was carried out for 300 mothers who use infant feeding bottles in the city Tikrit, Iraq. The study was conducted from 15 December 2023 to 1 November 2024 in Tikrit Teaching Hospital (pediatric ward), pediatric private clinics and primary health care centers. Simple random sampling was used for selection of participants. Data were gathered by means of direct interviewing, directed by a structured, self-administered questionnaire, which included the following items: Demographic characteristics, Bottle cleaning, Sterilization of the bottle, Feeding practices and past diarrheal illness. The data were summarized in frequency and percentage and analyzed by chi-square test (if applicable). 37.7% of the mothers participating in this study were illiterate, 75% were residing in urban areas, 92.3% were not working, and 32.7% were between the ages of 26 and 30. The majority of mothers (67.3%) were in the three or fewer children category and 60% were in the middle-income category. The most common ways of cleaning and sterilizing the feeding bottles was boiling (37.3%), using some detergent (25.0%), brushing (12.7%) and combination of both (25.0%). 35% of mothers used 1 or 2 feeding bottles for each category. 95% of mothers used boiled water to prepare infant formula, while 5% used tap water. Most of the plastic bottles were used (95%) and hardly 5% were glass bottles. 57.7% of mothers changed teats on a weekly basis and 42.3% changed them monthly. As for the time for the sterilizing, 26% reported boiling for 2 minutes and 5% for 10 minutes. In previously diarrheic infants, 82.3% reported diarrhea with the highest number being infants aged between 10-12 months (40%). Acute diarrhea was reported in 57.3%, chronic diarrhea was reported in 25% of total sample. The conclusion is that the mothers in Tikrit City were using the boiling method of infant feeding-bottle sterilization most frequently. There was, however, a great deal of variation in cleaning technique, in the length of time for which bottles and teats were sterilized, and in the types of bottles used and the method of teat replacement. This is important to note that the percentage of babies who had previously suffered from diarrhea is high and it is a reminder that maternal and child health education should be structured to improve maternal knowledge and in promoting safe bottle-feeding practices.
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