Factors Related to the Practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding in Different Cities of the States Minas Gerais and Bahia, Brazil

Objective: To evaluate the factors related to the time of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in infants from Pará de Minas and Três Corações (Minas Gerais) and Brumado (Bahia), Brazil. Material and Methods: All mothers attended in public and private hospitals of these cities between June and December 2012 (n=156) were invited to answer an interview related to EBF. Data were collected: (1) at maternity ward; (2) at 4 and (3) 6 months of the infant's life. In (2) and (3), data were collected by phone. Data were recorded in the SPSS software, and descriptive analyses and association of exposure and outcome variables related to the practice of EBF were performed. The chi-square test was used, considering p <0.05. Results: The total of women was in (1) 156, (2) 104 and (3) 123, and the EBF rate was 50.0%, 39.0% and 4.8%, respectively. In (1) mothers with lower schooling level have opted for EBF more frequently. In (1), the use of bottle did not interfere in EBF; on the other hand, in (2) and (3), the use of bottle has decreased the frequency of EBF (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The ideal frequency of EBF recommended by WHO to the six months of the infant's life is not followed in the evaluated cities. In addition, EBF can be influenced by the use of bottle and maternal schooling level.

Factors Associated with Early Weaning

Objective: To identify the factors that influenced early weaning and its incidence among children from six months old in five public hospitals of two states - Minas Gerais and Bahia, Brazil. Material and Methods: The sample (N = 104) was of convenience type composed of mothers of six-month-old infants from five public hospitals. Mothers answered a personal interview by phone when the child was six months old. Data analysis was performed by the association between the dependent variable, early weaning, and independents variables, maternal age, mother's marital status, education and job, family income, maternal belief about the amount of milk produced to be or not enough to feed her baby and breastfeeding interruption reason, through the chi-square test in SPSS software version 17.0 (p<0.05). Results: Among the relationships found, only maternal belief in milk failure was significantly associated with early weaning (p <0.001). Most mothers who did not perform early weaning believed they had satisfactory amount of milk (66.7%). The general weaning rate was ≅ 30%. Conclusion: Early weaning was related to maternal belief that the amount of milk was insufficient to meet the needs of the newborn and its incidence was high in the study population.