The Knowledge and Participation of the Father in Breast Feeding, Salvador, Brazil

Abstract

The most fundamental influence in the breastfeeding process is the father's support. The mother feels safer in breastfeeding when she has her partner's support and a more active and effective participation. This study aimed at evaluating the father's knowledge about breastfeeding in a quantitative approach through a transversal cohort study, in-terviewing 78 fathers in a public maternity in Salvador. The average age of the inter-viewees was 29.9 years and 53.8% had an incomplete fundamental schooling. Regard-ing knowledge of the subject, 10.3% believed that breastfeeding can be substituted. All fathers interviewed answered that they support breastfeeding for their children and be-lieve in its benefits; 39.7% reported that their opinion could interfere their partner's de-cision to prolong the process. Moreover, 69.2% of the males attended their partner's antenatal meetings, and of these, over a third had no intervention on the subject. Of all the participants, 80.8% confirmed that they had participated in the breastfeeding proc-ess and emphasized their gratification during this phase. About the paternal opinion, 39.7% believed that there is a degree of influence over the partner's decision to breast-feed, and for that reason 50% told the mother their opinion. The study widened the knowledge about the role of the father in breastfeeding, ratifying the importance of their support towards the mother in this process, ultimately contributing to improving the practice and benefiting the mother-child relationship. Therefore, we conclude that those interviewed have some knowledge about breastfeeding, recognize its importance during the process and would like to know more.