Caracterização das orientações sobre aleitamento materno recebidas por gestantes e puérperas na cidade de Belo Horizonte

Abstract

Purpose: to characterize the breastfeeding guidelines received by pregnant and postpartum women in the city of Belo Horizonte and to investigate factors that influence exclusive breastfeeding, the use of pacifier and baby bottle. Methods: this is a descriptive observational cross-sectional study, involving 168 mothers with a mean of 27.2 ± 6.6 years of age. A questionnaire was applied with questions regarding the guidelines received in the prenatal care and in the immediate and late postnatal care. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and associations were obtained from maternal and infant age, maternal schooling and guidelines received with exclusive breastfeeding, use of pacifiers and baby bottles. Results:132 participants (78.6%) reported having received guidance at some moment in the pregnancy-puerperal cycle. The counseling occurred predominantly in prenatal care, but covered the largest number of women, 121 (91.7%), in the immediate postnatal period, and the professional in charge varied according to the moment the guidelines were given. The main strategy used was individual counseling addressing several topics; the most frequent ones were the baby’s hold on the breast; the benefits of breastfeeding for the mother and the baby; the ideal period of exclusive breastfeeding and the breast care. Most of the participants, 126 (95.5%), considered that the guidelines were useful and 101 (76.5%) said they had used them. Only the child’s age was associated with exclusive breastfeeding, and the use of pacifier and baby bottle, and, as the child’s age increased, the prevalence of breastfeeding decreased, and the frequency of pacifier and baby bottle use increased. Conclusion: There is a lack of guidance in the late postnatal care and a need to review the guidance strategies, since the educational practices did not influence the performance of exclusive breastfeeding and the use of baby bottles and pacifiers.