OBJECTIVES: to measure exclusive breastfeeding rates in the first month and compare the feeding practices of children born in the hospital adopts the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) with other hospitals practices in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. METHODS: a quasi-experimental study nested in a cohort. The research comprises two separate components: hospital screening and home monitorship of one-month (30%). 973 mothers and their babies were monitored from an initial sample of 2741mothers. RESULTS: being born in hospitals which do not adopt the BFHI has increased the risk of absence of breastfeeding support, of babies not suckling in the first hour and receiving pacifier and tea at the hospital. The prevalence of one-month exclusive breastfeeding was 60%. Children born in the hospital which adopts BFHI had a larger rate of exclusive breastfeeding with one month and the use of pacifier has shown a negative association with the outcome. CONCLUSIONS: the intervention was positive and the impact would be greater if the "ten steps" implementation were total during the collection phase. The breastfeeding promotion efforts should continue after releasing the patient through the counseling groups and maybe, with the follow up until six month, the results could be better.
Breast feeding; Infant; newborn; Hospitals
