Exclusive maternal breastfeeding: from theory to reality

Abstract

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding until the months of the baby, and its maintenance with complementary foods up to two years (WHO and UNICEF, 1995)
Objectives: Know the opinion of the infants of mothers on exclusive breastfeeding period, identify whether the mothers were informed about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding during the prenatal period, identify the reason for breastfeeding, assess the exclusive breastfeeding rate during the first 6 months of life and identify the causes for the introduction of another type of feed.
Method: quantitative, descriptive study, a non-probabilistic intentional sample of 39 mothers of infants who have breastfed or were still breast-feeding, whose children attended public or private kindergartens, located in urban and rural areas of the district of Coimbra, with application of a questionnaire from October to December 2015.
Results: 17.9% of the children were 9 months old, 51.3% of mothers were between 31-35 years, 87.2% were working, 59.9% reported a period of six months as the optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding, 87.2% were- transmitted their knowledge about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding during the prenatal period, 22.6% said “the baby’s health” to breastfeed, 48.7% introduced other foods at 5 months with 53.8% cited work outside the home the reason for this introduction.
Conclusion: Most infants of mothers correctly identified exclusive breastfeeding period is mostly informed about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding during the prenatal period. the reason was identified to breastfeed and evaluated the exclusive breastfeeding rate for the first 6 months of life. The work outside the home was identified the main reason for the early introduction of other milks or foods.