Strategies of Health Surveillance in the construction of a support network for breastfeeding women

Abstract

Abstract In 2018 the Municipal Health Department of the city of Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil, started the implementation of strategies to promote, protect and support breastfeeding in health surveillance actions. Supervised compliance with the Brazilian Standards of Commercialization of Foods for Infants and Children of 1st Childhood, nipples, pacifiers and bottles and encouraged the installation of breast-feeding support rooms in public and private workplaces in the city, aiming to intervene in the infant mortality rates. According to the Global Strategy of the World Health Organization (WHO/UNICEF), for the Feeding of Infants and Children in the First Childhood, only 35% of children worldwide are breastfed exclusively during the first four months of life. What are the contributions of the surveillance area in encouraging the installation of breast-feeding facilities in the workplace? What are the responsibilities of the Health Surveillance to promote breastfeeding? The strategies implemented aimed to create a culture of respect and support for breastfeeding as a way to promote the health of the working woman and her baby, bringing direct benefits to society.The importance of women in promoting breastfeeding is evident, but it is essential to implement public policies. The surveillance began to integrate the municipal network of incentive to breastfeeding in search of the integrality of the attention aiming to contribute to increase the rates of breastfeeding in the city. Measures of a supervisory nature were implemented to comply with the rules that protect the practice of breastfeeding, in order to avoid early weaning and to reduce infant mortality. Intra and intersectoral strategies, permanent education and awareness-raising among professionals and the population were used. Isolated and fragmented initiatives do not contribute to structuring a breastfeeding support network in the workplace and many companies have not expressed an interest in promoting breastfeeding space. Key messages Dissemination of the pro-breastfeeding culture in which the workplace is a mainstay for a network of support for working women. Surveillance Area acted in the Network of Women’s and Children’s Health Care contributing to the reduction of maternal and infant mortality and healthy infant development.