Association between breastfeeding, obstetric factors and child development in Northeast Brazil

 Child development is a complex process influenced by several factors, among others is highlighted the practice of breastfeeding. Beyond the biological effects, breastfeeding has effects on the social dimension and the psychological apparatus of the actors directly involved.  Objective: To analyse the influence of exclusive breastfeeding and associated factors on the neurodevelopment (ND) of children up to 36 months old.  Methods:  A cross-sectional, community-based study with individuated data of 99 children up to 36 months old, evaluated socio demographic, obstetric and neonatal variables and assessed ND through the Development Monitoring Instrument. The variables were analysed using descriptive statistics and regression testing. Data were considered significant when p <0.05.  Results:  Regarding ND, 70.71% of the children had achieved the motor milestones for their age, 98.99% of mothers breastfed, 37.38% of them had exclusive breastfed (EBF) for six months. Factors that positively influenced the ND were vaginal delivery when compared to children with other types of delivery, and EBF for 6 months when compared to children who had EBF less than six months.  Conclusions: The practice of exclusive breastfeeding for less  than six months is associated with a higher prevalence of lower psychomotor development of  children from zero to 36 months old. Other factors associated with delay in development are instrumented vaginal delivery with forceps or caesarean delivery.