
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) within the first hour after birth. However, certain perinatal factors, namely caesarean section, may prevent this goal from being achieved. The aim of our study was to examine the relationship between EIBF (maternal lactation in the first hours and degree of latching before hospital discharge) and the maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding (MBF) up to the recommended 6 months of age (as advocated by the WHO). Methods: This observational, retrospective cohort study included a random sample of all births between 2018 and 2019, characterising the moment of breastfeeding initiation after birth and the infant’s level of breast latch (measured by LATCH assessment tool) prior to hospital discharge. Data were collected from electronic medical records and from follow-up health checks of infants up to 6 months postpartum. Results: We included 342 women and their newborns. EIBF occurred most often after vaginal (p < 0.001) and spontaneous births with spontaneous amniorrhexis (p = 0.002). LATCH score <9 points was associated with a 1.4-fold relative risk of abandoning MBF (95%CI: 1.2–1.7) compared with a score of 9–10 points. Conclusions: Although we were unable to find a significant association between EIBF in the first 2 h after birth and MBF at 6 months postpartum, low LATCH scores prior to discharge were associated with low MBF, indicating the importance of reinforcing the education and preparation efforts of mothers in the first days after delivery, prior to the establishment of an infant feeding routine upon returning home.
Biotecnología, Medicina ii, Ciências agrárias i, Nutrição, Educação física, Medicina iii, Pregnancy, Engenharias i, Zootecnia / recursos pesqueiros, Geociências, Geografía, Biodiversidade, Engenharias ii, Astronomia / física, Public health, environmental and occupational health, Química, Farmacia, Pollution, Saúde coletiva, Breast Feeding, Educação, exclusive breastfeeding, Materiais, Female, Ciências biológicas i, Ciência da computação, vaginal birth, Health, toxicology and mutagenesis, Mothers, Medicina i, Odontología, Article, Administração pública e de empresas, ciências contábeis e turismo, Ciências biológicas iii, Ciências ambientais, Serviço social, Humans, Lactation, Environmental studies, Retrospective Studies, early initiation of breastfeeding, Cesarean Section, Infant, Newborn, Enfermagem, Infant, Interdisciplinar, skin-to-skin contact, Psicología, Ensino, Environmental sciences, caesarean section, Ciências biológicas ii, Public, environmental & occupational health
Biotecnología, Medicina ii, Ciências agrárias i, Nutrição, Educação física, Medicina iii, Pregnancy, Engenharias i, Zootecnia / recursos pesqueiros, Geociências, Geografía, Biodiversidade, Engenharias ii, Astronomia / física, Public health, environmental and occupational health, Química, Farmacia, Pollution, Saúde coletiva, Breast Feeding, Educação, exclusive breastfeeding, Materiais, Female, Ciências biológicas i, Ciência da computação, vaginal birth, Health, toxicology and mutagenesis, Mothers, Medicina i, Odontología, Article, Administração pública e de empresas, ciências contábeis e turismo, Ciências biológicas iii, Ciências ambientais, Serviço social, Humans, Lactation, Environmental studies, Retrospective Studies, early initiation of breastfeeding, Cesarean Section, Infant, Newborn, Enfermagem, Infant, Interdisciplinar, skin-to-skin contact, Psicología, Ensino, Environmental sciences, caesarean section, Ciências biológicas ii, Public, environmental & occupational health
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