OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the use of pacifiers and bottles and their influence on the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding among children of mothers attending a human milk bank.
METHODS:
This cross-sectional study included mothers seen at a human milk bank from 2009 to 2011. The following information was collected by a structured questionnaire: sociodemographic data, obstetric history, and information about exclusive breastfeeding, bottle use, and pacifier use. The data were analyzed descriptively and by the Chi-square test and Poisson's regression.
RESULTS:
A total of 9,474 mothers were assessed. Of these, 65.2% had completed high school, and 60.6% reported having done exclusive breastfeeding. The prevalences of bottle and pacifier use were 22.9 and 25.0%, respectively. Exclusive breastfeeding was less prevalent in children who used pacifier (38.4 versus 43.2%; p<0.001) and bottle (13.5 versus 46.6%; p<0.001). Use of bottle was associated with a smaller prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (PR=0.43; 95%CI=0.35-0.53), unlike feeding on demand (PR=5.5; 95%CI=4.17-7.3), higher maternal education level (PR=1.2; 95%CI=1.08-1.35), prenatal care (PR=1.25; 95%CI=1.13-1.38), and mother having received counseling on breastfeeding (PR=1.10; 95%CI=1.02-1.18), which favored the practice. Pacifier use was not associated with the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (PR=1.10; 95%CI=1.00-1.21).
CONCLUSION:
Bottle use had a negative impact on the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding, thus it should be considered a target of strategies that promote it.
Breastfeeding; Bottle feeding; Milk banks; Pacifiers