Within the early months of life exclusively breastfeeding is associated withincreased infant survival and reduced risk of illness, especially diarrheal diseases. Ifmothers feed her baby with only breast milk during the first six months of life andthen continue breastfeeding with complementary foods 1.3 million additional livescould be saved annually.Studies in Turkey showed that nearly almost all of the babies were fed withbreast milk. The main problem in Turkey is starting with foods and drinks other thanbreast milk too early or too late ?is not low breastfeeding rates. According to resultsof Turkey Health and Populations Survey in 2003, only one of five child had beenexclusively feeding with breast milk in first six months of life.In this study it was aimed to determine the rates of exclusively breastfeedingand the time of starting complementary feeding and mother?s knowledge aboutbreastfeeding and mother?s feeding behavior of their babies in rural and urban areasin Kayseri. In addition if there is any defficiency in knowledge and practise, it wasaimed to assist in developping new programme to solve these problems.In this study 363 mothers were enrolled, 140 of the mothers (%38.6) wereliving in Pınarbası and 223 of them (%61.4) were living in the region of BünyaminSomyürek Health Care Center. Mean age of mothers was 27.53±5.16 years and meanage of babies was 8.49±6.52 months. It was found that 360 of participants (%99.2)fed their babies with breast milk. 23.3 percent of mothers started complementaryfeeding within the first month and in urban area the rate of starting complementaryfeeding within the first month was higher than rural area(p=0.001). The exclusivelybreastfeeding rate was reduced %46.6 among babies who were 3-6 months age(p=0.001).The factors that could be affected the time of starting complementary feedinginclude living with babies father?s family, father?s education level, making desicionbreastfeeding earlier and giving prelacteal foods. There were no significantassociation with time of starting complementary feeding and mother?s age, mother?seducation level, taking any information about breastfeeding and who gave thisinformation to mothers.To promote and to carry on succesful breastfeeding mothers should besupported during pregnancy and postpartum period by not only their families andpopulation but also health care system.All health care providers should give education not only to mothers andpregnant women but also to their families and should follow up whether thiseducation lead to behavioral changing.Key words: human milk, breastfeeding.

Annelerin yas ortalaması 27.53±5.16 idi. Bebeklerin yas ortalaması 8.49±6.52 ay idi.Annelerin %99.2'sinin (n=360) bebegini bir süre emzirmis oldugu gözlendi.Annelerin %23.3'ü ilk bir ay içinde ek gıdaya baslamaktadır ve kentsel alanda ilk biray içinde ek gıdaya baslama oranı daha yüksektir (p=0.001). Üç-altı aylık bebeklerdehenüz ek gıda baslanmayan, sadece anne sütü alan bebeklerin oranı %46.6'yadüsmüstür (p=0.001).Ek gıda baslama zamanını etkileyebilecek faktörler arastırıldıgında genis aileyapısı, babanın egitim düzeyi, emzirme kararının erken dönemde verilmesinin vedogumdan sonra prelakteal gıda verilme durumu ile ek gıda baslama zamanı arasındailiski oldugu ancak annenin yası, egitim durumu, anne sütü ve emzirme konusundaegitim alma durumunun ve egitimi kimden aldıgının ek gıdaya baslama zamanınıetkilemedigi gözlendiBasarılı bir emzirmenin baslatılması ve sürdürülmesi için kadınlarıngebelikleri süresince ve dogumdan sonraki dönemde sadece aileleri ve toplumtarafından degil aynı zamanda bütün saglık sistemi tarafından da desteklenmesigerekir.Sadece anne ve anne adaylarına degil onların ailelerine de her fırsatta gerekliegitim verilmeli ve verilen bu egitimin davranıs degisikligine yol açıp açmadıgının dayakın birer takipçisi olunmalıdır.Anahtar Kelimeler: anne sütü, emzirme.