Abstract
Determine the level of knowledge about maternal breastfeeding and analyze to what extent this influences the intention to breastfeed after the introduction of infant feeding at the 6th and 16th weeks and at 6 months postpartum. Prospective descriptive study conducted with pregnant women in Galicia (Spain). By means of a self-filling questionnaire, data were collected on the intention of the woman to feed the newborn and their knowledge about breastfeeding. Pregnant women were also contacted at the 6th and 16th weeks and at 6 months postpartum to know the type of feeding they gave their child. 297 pregnant women participated in the study, of which 90.4% wanted to exclusively breastfeed their baby, however, only 28.2% continued up to 6 months. The level of knowledge about breastfeeding was regular and it was observed that it influences both the intention and the type of feeding of the newborn, thus it is an element to be considered when developing educational strategies aimed at increasing breastfeeding rates. The level of pregnant women's knowledge about breastfeeding is regular and influences the choice of how to feed their babies and the duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Strategies should be implemented to increase knowledge and improve breastfeeding rates.
Highlights
Breastfeeding (BF) is the ideal food source for the newborn (NB), besides providing numerous benefits to the mother and society[1,2,3,4]
Record sheet of the type of feeding given to the NB at the 6th and 16th weeks and at 6 months postpartum
The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) decreased over time (63.9% in the 6th week; 52% in the 16th week; and 28.2% at 6 months)
Summary
Breastfeeding (BF) is the ideal food source for the newborn (NB), besides providing numerous benefits to the mother and society[1,2,3,4]. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) up to 6 months and, only afterwards, the introduction of complementary feeding while maintaining BF up to 2 years or older[5]. Numerous factors have been positively and negatively related to the start and duration of BF[8]. Those associated with the social and cultural environment are highlighted, as BF is not an instinctive behavior[9]. It has recently been suggested that the level of competence of women on the topic could lead to differences in the exclusivity and duration of BF[10,11].
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