Breastfeeding knowledge and relation to prevalence

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.

Method:

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.

Results:

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.

Conclusion:

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.

DESCRIPTORS:
Breast Feeding; Knowledge; Pregnancy; Maternal-Child Nursing; Health Education

Level of BF knowledge (n = 220)
Characteristics of the study population		Good		Regular		Poor		p
Characteristics of the study population		n	%	n	%	n	%	p
Maternal age	18-34 years old	27	19.9	77	56.6	32	23.5	0.02
Maternal age	≥ 35 years	28	33.7	45	54.2	10	12	0.02
Marital status	Married	36	28.8	67	53.6	22	17.6	0.32
	Cohabiting	16	19	52	61.9	16	19
	Single	3	33.3	3	33.3	3	33.3
Nationality	Spanish	54	25.4	117	54.9	42	19.7	0.68
Nationality	Other	1	14.3	5	71.4	1	14.3	0.68
Level of studies	Secondary or lower	10	13.5	47	63.5	17	23.0	0.01
	Vocational training	10	20.8	28	58.3	10	20.8
	Complete/incomplete higher education	35	36.5	47	49.0	14	14.6
Parity	Primiparous	36	21.1	100	58.5	35	20.5	0.04
Parity	Multiparous	19	38.8	22	44.9	8	16.3	0.04
Occupation	Paid work	37	23.4	92	58.2	29	18.4	0.05
	Student	0	0.0	3	42.9	4	57.1
	Domestic	18	33.3	27	50.0	9	16.7
Previous breastfeeding experience^*	Exclusive breastfeeding	13	43.3	13	43.3	4	13.3	>0.64
Previous breastfeeding experience^*	Artificial/mixed feeding	6	31.6	9	47.4	4	21.1	>0.64

Baby feeding type		Future feeding intent				p
		EBF		AF/mixed F
		n	%	n	%
6 w	EBF	124	62.9	4	19	0.00
6 w	AF/mixed F	57	28.9	16	76.2	0.00
16 w	EBF	100	50.8	4	19	0.00
16 w	AF/mixed F	81	41.1	16	76.2	0.00
6 m	EBF	56	28.4	1	4.8	0.02
6 m	AF/mixed F	125	63.5	19	90.5	0.02

Question	Answer	N (220)	%
Do you know what breastfeeding is?	Yes	215	98.2
	No	4	1.8
	No response	1	0.5
During the first 6 months of life of the baby he/she should be fed with:	Breast milk plus aniseed tea	3	1.4
	Breast milk only	210	95.9
	Breast milk plus artificial milk	5	2.3
	No response	2	1
Up to what age should you breastfeed the baby exclusively?	Up to 2 years	134	61.2
	Up to 6 months	58	26.5
	Up to 12 months	26	11.9
	There is no age limit	1	0.5
	No response	1	0.5
When should you start breastfeeding the baby?	4 hours after birth	6	2.8
	Immediately after birth	198	93
	24 hours after birth	1	0.5
	The first time the baby cries hungrily	8	3.8
	No response	7	3.2
How often should the baby be breastfed?	Every 2 hours	20	9.3
	Each time the child cries or there is demand	193	89.8
	Every 6 hours	1	0.5
	No response	6	2.8
Your baby cries from hunger or thirst during the day and night. What would you do?	Administer artificial milk.	5	2.3
	Breastfeed only	203	94.4
	Administer breast milk and tea	6	2.8
	No response	6	2.8
If you are working or out of the house. How should you feed your baby?	I’d have to give him/her artificial milk.	4	1.9
	I’d breastfeed when I’m with the baby and feed with artificial milk when I’m separated from him/her.	8	3.7
	I would preferably administer breast milk extracted at home or at work	203	94.4
	No response	5	2.3
Breast milk stored at room temperature lasts for	1 hour	34	16.3
	8 hours	84	40.4
	Don’t know.	90	43.3
	No response	12	5.5
If your baby under 6 months has diarrhea	I would suspend breastfeeding	6	3
	I would administer tea	2	1
	I would continue breastfeeding and administer an oral serum	76	38
	I would breastfeed more often	115	57.5
	No response	20	9.1
	Don’t know	1	0.5
Which mothers should not breastfeed their babies?	Mothers who have a cough	1	0.5
	Mothers with HIV/AIDS	208	98.6
	Mothers who do a lot of laundry	1	0.5
	No response	9	4.1
What is the main reason for giving your baby breast milk?	To save money	0	0
	To provide the necessary nutrients and avoid respiratory diseases and diarrhea	200	91.3
	In order to spend more time in the company of my baby	4	1.8
	Multiple reasons	15	6.9
Mark the diagram that shows the correct breastfeeding position^*	Correct	133	61.6
	Wrong	83	38.4
	No response	4	1.8
Mark the diagram showing the correct way to put your baby’s mouth on the breast for breastfeeding^*	Correct	207	95.4
	Wrong	10	4.6
	No response	3	1.4
At which breast should the baby recommence breast-feeding?	At either breast	24	11
At which breast should the baby recommence breast-feeding?	With the breast not previously suckled	194	89
In order to interrupt suckling	Pull the nipple so that the baby releases it	12	5.5
In order to interrupt suckling	Introduces a finger into the baby’s mouth so that it releases the nipple	206	94.5
From whom should you seek information about breastfeeding?	Health staff	139	63.8
	Family members	7	3.2
	Friends	1	0.5
	Others	12	5.5
	From various sources	54	24.8
	No response	2	1

			Level of BF knowledge				P
			Good/Regular		Poor
			N	%	N	%
Postpartum feeding	6 w	EBF	110	85.3	19	14.7	0.019
	6 w	AF/mixed F	51	69.9	22	30.1	0.019
	16 w	EBF	93	88.6	12	11.4	0.003
	16 w	AF/mixed F	68	70.1	29	29.9	0.003
	6 m	EBF	51	89.5	6	10.5	0.05
	6 m	AF/mixed F	110	75.9	35	24.1	0.05

Universidade de São Paulo, Escola de Enfermagem Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419 , 05403-000 São Paulo - SP/ Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 3061-7553, - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: reeusp@usp.br

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[1] Corresponding author: María del Carmen Suárez-Cotelo Department of Obstetrics, Hospital Provincial de Pontevedra, Loureiro Crespo, 2, Pontevedra, Spain. msuarezcotelo@gmail.com

Brasil

Brasil

Breastfeeding knowledge and relation to prevalence* 1 Extracted from the disssertation “Estudio de la construcción que hacen las madres del soporte recibido para la instauración y mantenimiento de la lactancia materna”, Universidad de la Coruña, 2017.

Conocimientos sobre lactancia y relación con su prevalencia

ABSTRACT

Objective:

Method:

Results:

Conclusion:

Breastfeeding knowledge and relation to prevalence^* 1 Extracted from the disssertation “Estudio de la construcción que hacen las madres del soporte recibido para la instauración y mantenimiento de la lactancia materna”, Universidad de la Coruña, 2017.