OBJECTIVES: to assess breastfeeding time in children under 24 months old and determine factors associated to exclusive breastfeeding in the State of Pernambuco. METHODS: cross sectional study of 852 children aged 24 months old and younger within a sample of 2078 children under five years old selected for the II State Health and Nutrition Survey. Data was collected for the period between February and May, 1997. Survival analysis for median calculation of breastfeeding and housing, per capita income, maternal education level, prenatal care, breastfeeding orientation, delivery type and birthweight was performed. RESULTS: survival analysis determined exclusive, predominant and total breastfeeding median time of 24.77 and 112 days respectively. Median exclusive breastfeeding time was significantly longer among the children living in the Metropolitan Region of Recife (148 days) whose mothers had incomes above two minimum wages (201 days), who had six or more prenatal medical visits (129 days) and received breastfeeding instructions during prenatal care (126 days). Birthweight, maternal literacy and type of delivery did not significantly influence exclusive breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: breastfeeding time in Pernambuco was determined specially in the Metropolitan Region of Recife indicating that prenatal care is one of the opportunity factors to orient and encourage mothers to breastfeed their infants.
Breastfeeding; Associated factors; Maternal breastfeeding
