Aleitamento materno : fatores relacionados ao desmame precoce

Abstract

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for two years or more, being exclusive in the first six months of life. Despite this recommendation, the prevalence of early weaning in Brazil remains high. Objective To describe the factors related to early weaning reported by the mothers of children up to two years of age. Methodology: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out with the mothers of children up to two years of age hospitalized in a University Hospital from March 2018 to August 2018. Data collection was performed through the application of a questionnaire adapted from the Ministry of Health, which was directed to the mothers or companions of the children. Data were described in percentage, mean (standard deviation) and median (interquartile range). Results: Data were collected from 28 children of both sexes. Regarding children under six months of age, 73.3% were exclusively breastfed. In children older than six months, it was observed that none of them received exclusive breastfeeding until six months. The two main reasons reported by the mothers that led them to stop breastfeeding were: rejection of the children to breastfeeding and return of the mothers to work. Conclusion: The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was low in the evaluated children and the presence of disease in the oral cavity of the children, rejection of the children breastfeeding, production of little milk by the mothers and the return of the mothers to work were the factors that led to weaning precocious.