Traditional practices frequently used for the newborn in Turkey: A literature review

Abstract

The aim of this study is to identify some traditional practices used for the newborn babies in Turkey and to discuss the possible effects of these practices upon the health of the babies. The traditional care practices (salting, swaddling, holluk, starting breastfeeding late, practices against newborn jaundice, making the forties, etc.) reported to be most prevalent between January 2008 and October 2012 were examined. Possible risks of these practices were identified as follows: Hypernatremia due to salting the newborn, tetanus because of wrapping the newborn in holluk, hypoglycemia owing to starting breastfeeding late, hip dysplasia due to tight swaddling of the newborn, and kernicterus as a result of delaying the medical treatment of jaundice. Making the forties was regarded positive in terms of psychological relief but negative in terms of infection.