Risk Factors for Early Weaning in the First Month of Breast-feeding

Introduction: It is known that breast-feeding (BF) is the main source of nutrients available for infants and its valorization is present these days.

Objectives: Identify the risk factors associated with not offering BF until the babies’ first month of life.

Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted from December 2013 to February 2014. In the room of a maternity ward in a Porto Alegre's hospital was administered a questionnaire developed for this research. At the first month of the babies’ life, by telephone, the same instrument was re-administered. The study was approved by Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre’s CEP, under number 481 830.

Results: Of the 99 postpartum women, 10 (9.9%) reported not to be breast-feeding their babies any longer, of which 6 (60%) had previously breast-fed. Of these, 6 (60%) were young mothers, only 1 (10%) had completed high school, and 5(50%) were housewives. It was noticed that the complaints that lead to the abandonment of breast-feeding were linked in 4 (40%) with the point of breast anatomy and breast care during breast-feeding, and 6 (60%) indicated that their milk as insufficient or weak or there was refusal by baby to breast-feed.

Conclusion: It is considered that low education levels and joviality are risk factors for abandonment of BF. A support team monitoring mothers during pregnancy and postpartum is necessary because still there are women not sufficiently educated about prevention of complications related to breast and myths about breast milk.

Keywords: breast-feeding, early weaning, child feeding.