Difficulties in breastfeeding in the first month of life: life contexts impact

• Main Authors: Paula Nelas, Emília Coutinho, Claúdia Chaves, Odete Amaral, Carla Cruz
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Asociación Nacional de Psicología Evolutiva y Educativa de la Infancia Adolescencia Mayores y Discapacidad 2017-11-01
• Series: INFAD
• Subjects: amamentação; dificuldades; manutenção; satisfação com a vida
• Online Access: http://www.infad.eu/RevistaINFAD/OJS/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/987
• ISSN: 0214-9877; 2603-5987

Background: Breastfeeding is determined not just organically but also involves emotional and socio-cultural factors. Objectives: Identify the most frequent difficulties associated with breastfeeding in the first month of life of the baby; Evaluate the relationship between difficulties in breastfeeding and satisfaction with life; Analyze the relationship between difficulties in breastfeeding and sociodemographic variables. Methods: A quantitative study, descriptive, correlational. The data were collected through a questionnaire, applied in two moments, at 7 and 30 days of the baby’s life, which allowed the sociodemographic and breastfeeding characterization. It also includes Satisfaction with Life Scale (Simões, 1992). The sample is not probabilistic for convenience, made up of 255 mothers who breastfeed, entered in the Family Health Units and Custom Health Care Units in the central region of Portugal. Results: Participants have an average age of 20.7 years, mostly married, with education less than the 3rd cycle, and residents employed full time in the city. As for the most common problems associated with breastfeeding in the two stages of evaluation that women had the 7th day and continued to be the 30th day, the fissures predominate (77.5%), breast engorgement (66.7%), mastitis (63.6%) the difficulties in the handle (82.4%), the position and posture for nursing (50.0%). The difficulties in breastfeeding are not related to satisfaction with life. Conclusions: In view of these results, and knowing that women have difficulties with breastfeeding in the two time points, it is important the support from nurses so that they can overcome them and do not constitute a repudiation of reason breastfeeding.