Abstract
BackgroundDespite evidences indicating the superiority of breastfeeding and recent advances in the indicators of breastfeeding in Brazil, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first six months after birth continues to be an infrequent practice in the country. The objective of the present study was to determine which gestational, perinatal, and postnatal factors of the mother-baby dyad might be associated with the cessation of EBF by six months after birth.MethodsData were collected at the rooming-in facility of the Reference Center of Women’s Health of Ribeirão Preto-Mater (CRSM-Mater) during the postpartum period (24 to 72 h after birth) from December 2012 to April 2013 and by telephone contact between the researcher and participating mothers by six months after birth.Questionnaires were applied to collect data, such as the practice of EBF in the last 24 h in the sixth month after birth. The hierarchical theoretical model was proposed and data were analyzed statistically by log-binomial regression models using SAS 9.3.ResultsThe study involved 283 mother-baby dyads in which the mother evaluated did not present pregnancy-puerperal complications that could impede breastfeeding and confirmed the interest in breastfeeding her child. After the telephone contact in the exact sixth month after the birth of each participating baby, 84.8% of the participating mothers reported that they were no longer exclusively breastfeeding their babies. After statistical analysis, we found that there was a significant association between cessation of EBF and maternal report of previous experience with EBF for one month (0.91, 95% CI 0.81, 0.99) and six months (0.81; 95% CI 0.68, 0.94). These practices were associated with the maintenance of EBF and, even after adjustment for maternal socio-demographic variables, this association was maintained (0.85; 95% CI 0.73, 0.99). Thus, there is a greater chance of practicing and maintaining EBF by six months after birth when mother had previous experience with it.ConclusionThe identification of the risk variables associated with cessation of EBF by six months postpartum, such as previous experience with exclusive breastfeeding, may contribute to the effectiveness of EBF intervention and support measures during the first six months after birth.
Highlights
Despite evidences indicating the superiority of breastfeeding and recent advances in the indicators of breastfeeding in Brazil, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first six months after birth continues to be an infrequent practice in the country
In addition to this previous study, an important national survey entitled “National Survey of Demography and Health of Children and Women (PNDS) 2006” evaluated a sample of 4817 children considered to be representative of the Brazilian population and found that 42.9% were breastfed up to one hour after And that 48.3% of children aged 2–3 months were in EBF in the last 24 h [2]
We found that there was a significant association between cessation of EBF and maternal report of previous experience with EBF for one month (0.91, 95% CI 0.81, 0.99) and six months (0.81; 95% CI 0.68, 0.94)
Summary
Despite evidences indicating the superiority of breastfeeding and recent advances in the indicators of breastfeeding in Brazil, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first six months after birth continues to be an infrequent practice in the country. A cross-sectional study conducted in the late 1990s in Brazil found alarming data on the estimated prevalence of EBF in the last 24 h by age of the child, showing that of 1259 children aged between 15 and 45 days of life, only 47.5% were In EBF [12] In addition to this previous study, an important national survey entitled “National Survey of Demography and Health of Children and Women (PNDS) 2006” evaluated a sample of 4817 children considered to be representative of the Brazilian population and found that 42.9% were breastfed up to one hour after And that 48.3% of children aged 2–3 months were in EBF in the last 24 h [2]. The progressive substitution of breast milk as the sole source of nutrition, has had disastrous consequences for the health of babies since HM is a source of energy, nutrients, and bioactive factors, and is an environmental determinant of adequate intestinal colonization childhood, which favors the protection and defense of children against infections and diseases, as well as the physical, cognitive, and emotional development of the child [1, 4, 6, 16,17,18,19,20,21]
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