Breastfeeding difficulties: Analysis of a service specialized in Breastfeeding

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the association between the type of Breastfeeding and the difficulties related to this practice among women and children assisted in a clinic specialized in Breastfeeding. Methods: Cross-sectional retrospective study based on the analysis of medical records of women and children assisted in a clinic specialized in Breastfeeding from 2004 to 2016. Medical records of women with multiple pregnancies and documents registered as nonstandard forms were excluded, which resulted in a sample with 1,608 records. The chi-square, nonparametric Mann-Whitney, and nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied to compare the type of Breastfeeding with categorical variables, frequency of exclusive Breastfeeding, and days of life and maternal age, respectively. Results: Exclusive Breastfeeding was practiced by 72.6% of the assisted women in the first 30 days after childbirth. There was a significant association between this practice and the following difficulties: maternal perception regarding the volume of produced milk, full Breasts before Breastfeeding, milk leakage, and easy manual milk extraction; proper positioning of mother and child, latch, suction, and swallowing by the child; in addition to the following characteristics: higher level of education; stable marital status; previous experience with Breastfeeding; protruding nipples; early skin-to-skin contact with the child; and children with a lower average number of days of life and who used pacifiers. Conclusion: Exclusive Breastfeeding prevailed in the first 30 days after childbirth and several maternal and neonatal variables were associated with this practice in the first appointment in the specialized clinic.