Introduction:
Weaning is a critical process that introduces solid foods alongside breastfeeding and plays an important role in a child’s nutrition, immunity, and growth. Despite global recommendations, cultural traditions and misconceptions often influence maternal feeding practices.

Aim:
This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Iraqi mothers regarding weaning among children under two years of age.

Material and methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted over six months among 300 mothers attending primary health care centers in the Al-Hashimiyah district, Babil Governorate, Iraq, over six months in 2024. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire based on the standard knowledge, attitudes, and practices model and analyzed using SPSS version 25.

Results and discussion:
Maternal knowledge about weaning was relatively high (mean = 7.45 ± 1.30). However, attitude (0.87 ± 1.04) and practice (2.95 ± 0.97) scores were lower. More than half of the mothers (54.67%) introduced complementary foods before four months of age. The most common initial weaning foods were rice water (54.67%) and sweetened water (19.67%). Family members and friends were the primary sources of information (65%). Higher knowledge and practice scores were significantly associated with maternal education, employment, and better economic status (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:
A gap exists between maternal knowledge and actual weaning practices. Cultural traditions and limited access to reliable information may contribute to this discrepancy. Strengthening maternal education and community-based interventions may improve appropriate weaning practices.