Prevalência do aleitamento materno no município de Belém em três unidades básicas de saúde

Breastfeeding is the wisest natural strategy of bonding, affection, protection and nutrition for the child and constitutes the most sensitive, economic and effective intervention to reduce child morbidity and mortality. Objective: The objective of the present study was to know the prevalence of breastfeeding in children up to 02 years of age in health units in the city of Belém. Method: Quantitative cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study, carried out at vaccination posts in three health units in the city of Belém, which have greater demand for children during the multivaccination campaign, according to information from the municipal coordination of the multivaccination campaign. Target population of children up to two years old. A questionnaire developed by the authors was used to collect information on breastfeeding with the mother of the child. Project approved by the Research Ethics Committee (CEP). Results: In relation to the 460 samples collected on children up to 2 years of age in three health units in the city of Belém, it was evidenced that 95.65% of the children analyzed breast-fed and those who did not breast-feed the mothers reported that either they had not produced a bed, or that it was insufficient, or that the child could not pick up the breast. Those children who no longer breast-fed, it was observed that weaning was much more prevalent in the 15 to 16 month-old age range. Although the mothers were not breastfeeding completely until the two years of age, the 95.65% were performing Exclusive Breastfeeding (AME) until the 6 months of age. Conclusion: It was soon possible to analyze that most Brazilian Journal of health Review Braz. J. Hea. Rev., Curitiba, v. 3, n. 4, p. 9864-9874 jul./aug. 2020. ISSN 2595-6825 9866 mothers and children in the health units were partially following the guidelines and protocols of the Ministry of Health.