The (dis)continuity of breastfeeding care in prison: perception of health professionals and managers

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: to describe the perception of health professionals and managers in the prison system regarding the continuity of breastfeeding care for lactating women deprived of liberty. METHOD: descriptive-exploratory research, qualitative approach, developed in a prison unit in Rio de Janeiro from December 2022 to January 2023. Interviewees: five health professionals and two managers. Content analysis was performed using Bardin's method with the assistance of Atlas.ti software, which has advanced resources to assist the researcher in organizing, analyzing and interpreting data. RESULTS: the actions that promote the continuity of breastfeeding care were: educational actions, with professionals as a support network, and the exchange of knowledge between professionals and lactating women. However, there are actions that weaken the continuity of care, favoring early weaning: introduction of food before six months, lack of guidance from family members, unplanned mother-baby separation and lack of a healthcare network within the prison system. CONCLUSION: professionals and managers perceive that there is promotion of continuity of breastfeeding care in prison. However, there are hindering elements that contribute to the discontinuity of breastfeeding. A challenge then arises to guarantee the equitable and comprehensive healthcare of lactating women and babies.