Breastfeeding in the prenatal and rooming-in care: mother´s knowledge in a baby friendly hospital initiative

Abstract

This study aims to identify the knowledge of postpartum women admitted to a Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) on breastfeeding and practices adopted in service to promote breastfeeding. Descriptive study with quantitative approach, conducted with 165 women admitted with their babies in a hospital in a rooming in-care in Fortaleza-CE. Newborn breastfeeding did not occur after the birth in 57, 4% of the cases. 84, 3% received information about manual breast milk pumping and 74, 1% replied that this milk must be provided in other containers than the feeding bottles. The study shows that the institution researched meets most of the steps recommended by the Initiative BFH however, it is necessary to monitor the mothers, after hospital discharge, by the, team of the Family Health Program so that the commitment to promote breastfeeding is established in all levels of health care.