Traditional Practices in Infant Care in Eastern Region of Turkey
Abstract
Objective: This study was conducted to find out the traditional methods applied in infant care in Turkish culture.
Methods: This study is a descriptive study in a city in the east of Turkey between February and August 2017. Women who participated in the study were chosen with improbable random sampling method. The data were collected with questionnaire form by using face-to- face interview method. Descriptive statistics were used in data analysis
Results: The most common postnatal practices were reciting the azan to the infant’s ear (66.2%) and swaddling (44.4%). In addition, it was found that before the first feeding of the infant, azan was recited (16.2%) and honey was placed on the infant’s mouth (21.4%). The most common practice for the health care of the infant was to cover with a yellow cloth/muslin/blanket to prevent jaundice (47.6%), while the most common spiritual care practices were evil eye bead (37.1%) and to put a Koran on the cradle to prevent the infant from getting sick in the first 40 days (33.6%).
Conclusion: It was found that the puerperal women conducted traditional practices such as for umbilical stump to fall off, to prevent jaundice, to recover from jaundice, for moniliasis, for diaper rash, for cough, for diarrhea, for constipation, for fever, for gas for infants who cry and who are uneasy all the time, before the first feeding religious ritual in the infants care.
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References
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