Table 1 Characteristics of participants according to whether they reported use of complementary medicine products during breastfeeding

Maternal age

≤ 30

155 (34.8)

113 (33.8)

42 (37.8)

0.696

31–34

136 (30.6)

105 (31.4)

31 (27.9)

≥ 35

154 (34.6)

116 (34.7)

38 (34.2)

Education level

Primary education

14 (3.1)

8 (2.3)

6 (5.4)

< 0.001^*

High School

47 (10.6)

26 (7.7)

21 (18.9)

University and above

384 (86.3)

300 (89.8)

84 (75.6)

Residential region

Marmara region

304 (68.3)

76 (68.5)

228 (68.3)

Aegean region

17 (3.8)

2 (1.8)

15 (4.5)

Black sea region

24 (5.4)

7 (6.3)

17 (5.1)

Central Anatolia region

48 (10.8)

10 (9.0)

38 (11.4)

Mediterranean region

32 (7.2)

11 (9.9)

21(6.3)

Southeastern Anatolia region

8 (1.8)

1 (0.9)

7 (2.1)

Eastern Anatolia region

12 (2.7)

4 (3.6)

8 (2.4)

Employment status

No

172 (38.7)

119 (35.6)

53 (47.7)

0.023^*

Yes

273 (61.3)

215 (64.3)

58 (52.2)

Healthcare professional

No

235 (52.8)

164 (49.2)

71 (63.9)

0.007^*

Yes

210 (47.2)

170 (50.8)

40 (36.0)

Family income level

Low

16 (3.6)

10 (2.9)

6 (5.4)

0.491

Medium

374 (84.0)

282 (84.4)

92 (82.8)

High

55 (12.4)

42 (12.5)

13 (11.7)

Chronic illness

No

371 (83.4)

274 (82.0)

97 (87.3)

0.190

Yes

74 (16.6)

60 (17.9)

14 (12.6)

Parity

Primiparous

292 (65.6)

226 (67.6)

66 (59.4)

0.115

Multiparous

153 (34.4)

108 (32.3)

45 (40.5)

Mode of delivery

Vaginal delivery

104 (23.4)

76 (22.7)

28 (25.2)

0.594

Cesarean delivery

341 (76.6)

258 (77.2)

83 (74.7)

Gestational age

≥ 38 weeks

333 (74.8)

249 (74.5)

84 (75.6)

0.813

< 38 weeks

112 (25.2)

85 (25.4)

27 (24.3)

Baby’s age

< 6 months

87 (19.6)

70 (20.9)

17 (15.3)

6–11 months

93 (20.9)

68 (20.3)

25 (22.5)

12–23 months

130 (29.2)

100 (29.9)

30 (27.0)

24–36 months

135 (30.3)

96 (28.7)

39 (35.1)

Total

445(100.0)

334(100.0)

111(100.0)