Is there a relation between mode of delivery and breastfeeding in the first hour of life?

• Published in: Revista brasileira em promoção da saúde = Brazilian journal in health promotion Vol. 31; no. 2
• Main Authors: Guilherme Tavares de Arruda, Barreto, Sabrina Cabreira, Vanessa Lago Morin, Gustavo do Nascimento Petter, Melissa Medeiros Braz, Hedioneia Maria Foletto Pivetta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Fortaleza Universidade de Fortaleza - Centro de Ciências da Saúde 01.04.2018
• Subjects: Breastfeeding & lactation; Cesarean section; Childbirth & labor; Children; Color; Graduates; Independent variables; Social classes; Sociodemographics; Urban areas
• ISSN: 1806-1222; 1806-1230
• DOI: 10.5020/18061230.2018.7321

Objective: To investigate the relation between mode of delivery, sociodemographic factors and breastfeeding. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional and descriptive study, carried out with mothers of children aged 0 to 2 years seen at health units during a vaccination campaign in a city in the South of Brazil in June 2013. Participants were 905 women, divided into two groups, according to the delivery method: vaginal delivery group (n=334) and Cesarean section group (n=571). They answered a questionnaire comprising sociodemographic information (age, color, schooling, marital status, social class and area of residence) and breastfeeding-related data, such as duration of exclusive breastfeeding, breastfeeding in the first hour of life, and breastfeeding success. Z-Test was applied for independent samples of parametric variables and Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z-Test was used for non-parametric variables, with significance level at p=0.05. Results: The vaginal delivery group was white (n=210, 62.87%), with a stable union (n=124, 37.13%), elementary school (n=177, 52.99%), social grade C1 (n=114; 34.13%) and resident in the urban area (n=321; 96.11%). C-section group consisted of white women (n=439, 76.88%), married (n=316, 55.34%), high school graduates (n=223, 39.05%), social grade B2 (n=184; 32.22%) and residents in the urban area (n=544, 95.27%). Breastfeeding in the first hour of life predominated in the vaginal delivery group (n=265; 79.34%), with a significant difference (p≤0.001). Conclusion: In the studied group, the mode of delivery was associated to breastfeeding in the first hour of life, and to maternal age, skin color, schooling and social class as well.