O processo de aleitamento materno exclusivo em mães adolescentes

Abstract

Although there is a decrease in the number of pregnant adolescents, the number of postpartum adolescents in Brazil is still considered high, making the issue a public health problem. Breastfeeding is considered an important factor to increase the bond between mother and child, and constitutes all the nutrients necessary for the healthy development of the child. Objective: Know the experiences of the practice of exclusive breastfeeding in adolescent mothers. Methodology: This study is a qualitative exploratory research with adolescent mothers. The study was conducted in a Salvador Basic Unit in 2019, and 9 adolescents between 17 and 19 years old participated. Results: After analyzing the data collection, the following categories emerged: 1) ‘'Knowledge and experience of the adolescent about breastfeeding'’; 2) "The influence of family and beliefs related to breastfeeding"; 3)’’Challenges and potential for teenage breastfeeding’’. Final considerations: The results show that the support of family and health professionals is of paramount importance for teenage mothers to be successful in breastfeeding.