Exclusive breastfeeding of premature infants and reasons for discontinuation in the first month after hospital discharge. / Aleitamento materno exclusivo de prematuros e motivos para sua interrupção no primeiro mês pós-alta hospitalar.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding premature infants at hospital discharge, and after 15 and 30 days, and to identify the mothers' claims for discontinuation. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 108 premature infants born in two Baby-Friendly Hospitals between April and July 2014. A survey was conducted on medical records and through telephone interviews. A descriptive analysis, Pearson's chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were used, with a 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at discharge was 85.2%, 75% after 15 days, and 46.3% after 30 days. The main claim for the introduction of other foods and/or liquids was insufficient milk. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant reduction in the rates of exclusive breastfeeding after discharge, pointing out the importance of continuity of patient care to reduce early weaning, especially with educational actions that help prevent real and perceived deficits in milk supply.