OBJECTIVES: to identify characteristics of mothers, babies and nursing associated with the initiation of breastfeeding in the first hour of birth. METHODS: this was a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort of newborns whose mothers were residents in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The mothers answered a questionnaire, which provided data referring to demographic and socioeconomic factors, prenatal period, maternal, neonatal and nursery characteristics, birth conditions, and initiation of breastfeeding. The interviews were carried out by way of daily visits to all nurseries, allowing for a minimum period of four hours after delivery. Univariate, bivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: 2,741 mothers were interviewed and 35.5% breastfed in the first hour after delivery. Mothers who began breastfeeding earliest were the younger ones, those who had a lower level of education and lower family income. Mothers whose deliveries were cesarean had a risk two times higher of not breastfeeding in the first hour of the newborn's life. CONCLUSIONS: it is important that delivery be performed in an appropriate manner, since c-sections increase the time of separation between mother and baby. It would be worthwhile encouraging expansion of the "Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative" in order to promote and protect breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding; Maternal behavior; Infant feeding
