Exclusive breastfeeding: the long distance between discourse and practice

Luiz Antonio Del Ciampo; Ieda Regina Lopes Del Ciampo

doi:10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20252822

Authors

Luiz Antonio Del Ciampo Department of Puericulture and Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil
Ieda Regina Lopes Del Ciampo Department of Medicine, Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20252822

Keywords:

Breastfeeding, First-time mother, WHO

Abstract

The article by Hiranmayi et al recently published in this journal, allows us to revive the discussion on a topic of extreme importance for the health of both mother and child, especially when it comes to first-time mothers: exclusive breastfeeding. The study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of first-time mothers with children up to six months of age regarding infant feeding, particularly related to exclusive breastfeeding. Although 85% of participants were aware of the recommended duration of exclusive breastfeeding, only 52.2% practiced it, highlighting barriers such as the perception of insufficient milk supply, returning to work, and lack of support from family members or healthcare professionals.

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