Prevalência de aleitamento materno exclusivo após internação em unidade de cuidados neonatais

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To define the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding in a group of newborns given only breastmilk or breastmilk supplemented with formula during hospitalization at a neonatal intensive care unit 15 days after discharge and potentially related factors. METHOD: This observational descriptive prospective study included all newborns admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit between May and July 2019 given only breastmilk or breastmilk supplemented with formula during hospitalization. Fifteen days after discharge, we called their mothers to enquire about what they had been feeding their babies with since. RESULTS: Almost two thirds (62.3%) of the newborns were on breastmilk 15 days after discharge. Birth weight and gestational age were significantly greater and length of hospitalization shorter in the group fed with breastmilk 15 days after discharge (p<0.05). A positive correlation was found between breastfeeding at the time of discharge and breastfeeding 15 days after discharge (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The establishment and maintenance of breastfeeding among hospitalized newborns is challenging and requires structure and strong processes. Factors such as birth weight, gestational age, and length of hospitalization correlated with the prevalence of breastfeeding after discharge. Exclusive breastfeeding at the time of discharge also correlated with maintenance of breastfeeding 15 days after discharge.

Keywords

• breastfeeding
• newborn
• weaning
• infant
• diseases