Rede de apoio do aleitamento materno nos Campos Gerais, Paraná: um diagnóstico situacional segundo a perspectiva dos profissionais de saúde

Abstract

Breastfeeding should be started within the first hour after birth and maintained as the baby's only source of nutrition until 6 months of age, and should also be offered, along with healthy eating, for a minimum of 24 months. Although breastfeeding is recognized for its importance and is considered a practice of excellence to achieve the development of children with good health and nutrition, cases of early weaning are still frequent, raising the need to prioritize the promotion of this practice within policies public, because the fragmentation of the attention attributed to it reveals the weakness of support networks and public policies that support breastfeeding in Brazil. In view of the above, the present study aimed to investigate the weaknesses and potential of support for breastfeeding, from the perspective of professionals in primary, specialized and hospital care in maternal and child care in the municipalities of the Campos Gerais region, Paraná. Through a descriptive cross-sectional observational study, this research relied on quali-quantitative methods, carried out in 3 distinct phases: quantitative phase 1 (data collection on breastfeeding in Ponta Grossa), qualitative quantitative phase 2 (verification of weaknesses and potentialities felt by primary, secondary and tertiary health care workers) and qualitative Phase 3 (narrative proposal, for the investigation of the weaknesses and potentialities in supporting breastfeeding). The findings of this study reveal that the current situation of breastfeeding in Campos Gerais meets the weaknesses and potentialities pointed out by him. Investments in human resources made so far, such as training tutors under the Amamenta and Alimenta Brasil Strategy and supporting training aimed at breastfeeding, have contributed to the advances achieved so far. However, the lack of communication between the levels of care, the scarcity of financial resources, flexibility in work schedules and specialized support points for breastfeeding care are some of the weaknesses raised to which the obstacles to the proper functioning of the institution are attributed. network. It is concluded, therefore, that the strengthening of Brazilian public policies is essential for the advancement of adherence to breastfeeding and that the integration between all points and levels of care in the network becomes possible when there is openness to discuss, outline goals and objectives in common between them, in addition to investments in ongoing training and awareness of work in the area.