Condutas e orientações profissionais sobre aleitamento materno às puérperas durante alta hospitalar.

Abstract

Objective: to describe the guidelines on breastfeeding offered by healthcare professionals at hospital discharge of puerperal women. Methods: cross-sectional study was carried out in four hospitals with a maternity unit in Uberlândia-MG, two of which are public and two are private. The observation of professional conduct (nurses, doctors, nursing technicians) by the time of hospital discharge was guided by a form containing maternal well-being, guidance on breastfeeding, maternal nutrition during breastfeeding, support network and humanization of care. Questions whose answers are dichotomous were expressed in relative frequencies. Results: guidance at discharge was provided mainly by pediatricians (60%). In public hospitals (RPu), the main guidelines were free-demand breastfeeding (60.0%); proper management of breastfeeding (40.0%), and recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) up to six months of age (40.0%). In the private network (RPr), the main orientations were free-demand breastfeeding (76.9%); production and ejection of breast milk (76.9%) and recommendations on the use of infant formulas (69.2%). The support network was approached only in one of the RPu hospitals. Conclusions: the main guidelines given at hospital discharge by professionals were focused on explaining the importance and benefits of breastfeeding, production and ejection of breast milk, adequate management, and EBF until six months of age.