Promocion de la lactancia materna mediante una accion educativa dirigida a mujeres embarazadas

Abstract

Some studies have indicated that breast-feeding is tending to decline in Latin America. This article discusses some of the factors that affect breast-feeding by women of Latin American origin who live in the United States, and it describes an educational iniciative with a group of pregnant women aimed at promoting the practice of breast-feeding. The mother's motivation toward breast-feeding and her supply of milk are two fundamental factors in the success of this practice. The first is associated with several secondary factors: attitudes and beliefs of the women and her information background, support provided by family members and friends, the mother's plans to go back to work, and her previous experience with breast-feeding. The milk supply depends on the frequency of breast-feeding, the strength of the child's suckling, the milk let-down reflex, and the use of hormone-based contraceptives. Frequency is the most important factor in successful breast-feeding, and this is determined by the woman's information background, hospital practices, and the promotion of breast-milk substitutes. The factors that influence breast-feeding are varied and interact in a complex fashion. As a result, they need to be analyzed thoroughly when actions are being considered to promote the practice