Hospitalization and continuity of breastfeeding in infants less than 6 months of age

Objective: To assess the effect of hospitalization for acute morbidity on the continuity of breastfeeding. Patients and Method: Concurrent cohort study of infants under 6 month of age admitted to the Hospital Sotero del Rio, with follow-up at 2 and 6 weeks post discharge. Results: 72 patients entered the study. At the time of admission, 91.7% of patients were receiving breastfeeding (BF); 19.4% of them was exclusive breastfeeding (BFe). At 2 weeks after discharge, BF and BFe was 86% and 29% (p = NS), respectively. At 6 weeks post discharge, BF and BFe was 80% (p = 0.021 compared to admission) and 33% (p = NS) respectively. In patients admitted to the pediatric unit, there was an increase in the BFe between the second and sixth week of follow up (29.7% and 40.5% respectively, p = 0.008). Conclusions: After discharge, there was a decrease in the prevalence of BF similar to that observed in the National Breast Feeding Survey. The hospitalization did not negatively affect the maintenance of breastfeeding, on the contrary, there was an increase in those receiving exclusive breastfeeding, which could be explained by the education on breast feeding that mothers received within the hospital.