Postpartum women’s knowledge about breastfeeding - a descriptive study

Introduction: Some mothers do not comply with breastfeeding due to unawareness of the practice. Aims: To characterize the demographic and obstetrical profile of postpartum women and to verify the influence of their instruction level and the number of prenatal consultations on breastfeeding knowledge...

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Main Authors: Viviane Mara Martins Silva, Emanuella Silva Joventino, Denise Sales Arcanjo, Joelna Eline Gomes Lacerda Freitas Veras, Regina Claudia Melo Dodt, Mônica OB Oriá, Lorena Barbosa Ximenes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Escola de Enfermagem Aurora de Afonso Costa 2009-12-01
Series:Online Brazilian Journal of Nursing
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.objnursing.uff.br/index.php/nursing/article/view/2452
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author Viviane Mara Martins Silva
Emanuella Silva Joventino
Denise Sales Arcanjo
Joelna Eline Gomes Lacerda Freitas Veras
Regina Claudia Melo Dodt
Mônica OB Oriá
Lorena Barbosa Ximenes
author_facet Viviane Mara Martins Silva
Emanuella Silva Joventino
Denise Sales Arcanjo
Joelna Eline Gomes Lacerda Freitas Veras
Regina Claudia Melo Dodt
Mônica OB Oriá
Lorena Barbosa Ximenes
author_sort Viviane Mara Martins Silva
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Some mothers do not comply with breastfeeding due to unawareness of the practice. Aims: To characterize the demographic and obstetrical profile of postpartum women and to verify the influence of their instruction level and the number of prenatal consultations on breastfeeding knowledge. Design: Descriptive and quantitative study. Method: Individual interviews were carried out with 150 postpartum women at a public maternity rooming-in. The data were processed in the SPSS, version 13.0. Results: Most women were between 18 and 35 years old, less than eight schooling years; 91 (60.7%) were multiparae and 87 (58%) had not breastfed previously. Increased knowledge was verified on breastfeeding protection against ovarian and breast cancer (n=66; 89.2%), child development and promotion of mother and baby bonds (n=74; the 100%) and protection against child infections (n=73; 98.6%) among postpartum women with eight schooling years. The largest number of prenatal consultations positively influenced the understanding of maternal milk as an optimum food for children (n=109; 100%), the baby's bottle use to worsen breast suckling (n=88; 80.7%), the introduction of other foods affecting the child health (n=93; 85.3%) and painless breastfeeding of mothers who follow correct handling (n=74; 67.9%). Conclusion: The study reveals that factors such as instruction and number of prenatal consultations influence the knowledge level on breastfeeding, therefore reinforces the need for prenatal care promotion and educative approaches toward breastfeeding. Relevance for the clinical practice: This study brings to attention factors related to mother’s knowledge about breastfeeding. Thus, women awareness must be raised toward exclusive breastfeeding as the best health practice to the mother-baby binomial.
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spelling doaj.art-77db747ac69c480599acce2038fe0fb22023-09-03T09:41:26ZengUniversidade Federal Fluminense, Escola de Enfermagem Aurora de Afonso CostaOnline Brazilian Journal of Nursing1676-42852009-12-0183Postpartum women’s knowledge about breastfeeding - a descriptive studyViviane Mara Martins SilvaEmanuella Silva JoventinoDenise Sales ArcanjoJoelna Eline Gomes Lacerda Freitas VerasRegina Claudia Melo DodtMônica OB OriáLorena Barbosa XimenesIntroduction: Some mothers do not comply with breastfeeding due to unawareness of the practice. Aims: To characterize the demographic and obstetrical profile of postpartum women and to verify the influence of their instruction level and the number of prenatal consultations on breastfeeding knowledge. Design: Descriptive and quantitative study. Method: Individual interviews were carried out with 150 postpartum women at a public maternity rooming-in. The data were processed in the SPSS, version 13.0. Results: Most women were between 18 and 35 years old, less than eight schooling years; 91 (60.7%) were multiparae and 87 (58%) had not breastfed previously. Increased knowledge was verified on breastfeeding protection against ovarian and breast cancer (n=66; 89.2%), child development and promotion of mother and baby bonds (n=74; the 100%) and protection against child infections (n=73; 98.6%) among postpartum women with eight schooling years. The largest number of prenatal consultations positively influenced the understanding of maternal milk as an optimum food for children (n=109; 100%), the baby's bottle use to worsen breast suckling (n=88; 80.7%), the introduction of other foods affecting the child health (n=93; 85.3%) and painless breastfeeding of mothers who follow correct handling (n=74; 67.9%). Conclusion: The study reveals that factors such as instruction and number of prenatal consultations influence the knowledge level on breastfeeding, therefore reinforces the need for prenatal care promotion and educative approaches toward breastfeeding. Relevance for the clinical practice: This study brings to attention factors related to mother’s knowledge about breastfeeding. Thus, women awareness must be raised toward exclusive breastfeeding as the best health practice to the mother-baby binomial.http://www.objnursing.uff.br/index.php/nursing/article/view/2452Breast FeedingKnowledgeRooming-in CarePostpartum Period
spellingShingle Viviane Mara Martins Silva
Emanuella Silva Joventino
Denise Sales Arcanjo
Joelna Eline Gomes Lacerda Freitas Veras
Regina Claudia Melo Dodt
Mônica OB Oriá
Lorena Barbosa Ximenes
Postpartum women’s knowledge about breastfeeding - a descriptive study
Online Brazilian Journal of Nursing
Breast Feeding
Knowledge
Rooming-in Care
Postpartum Period
title Postpartum women’s knowledge about breastfeeding - a descriptive study
title_full Postpartum women’s knowledge about breastfeeding - a descriptive study
title_fullStr Postpartum women’s knowledge about breastfeeding - a descriptive study
title_full_unstemmed Postpartum women’s knowledge about breastfeeding - a descriptive study
title_short Postpartum women’s knowledge about breastfeeding - a descriptive study
title_sort postpartum women s knowledge about breastfeeding a descriptive study
topic Breast Feeding
Knowledge
Rooming-in Care
Postpartum Period
url http://www.objnursing.uff.br/index.php/nursing/article/view/2452
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