Principais fatores associados ao desmame precoce do aleitamento materno: revisão integrativa

Abstract

Early weaning is characterized by the partial or complete abandonment of exclusive breastfeeding, leading to the introduction of other foods such as infant formula, water, teas, or solid foods before the World Health Organization's recommended timeframe. Objective: To identify in the scientific literature the main factors associated with early weaning of breastfeeding. Methodology: This is an integrative review, with a search in the Cinahal, Cochrane Library, Embase, Lilacs, Medline/Pubmed, Scielo, Sciencedirect, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. After reviewing the titles and abstracts, 57 articles were obtained, resulting in a final sample of 47 studies for this review. Results: Women's perception of insufficient breast milk was identified as the main factor leading to early weaning in (48.94%) of the studies, followed by returning to work (44.68%) and the use of artificial nipples (pacifiers and/or bottles) (21.28%). Furthermore, multifactorial causes can strongly influence early weaning, such as the absence or non-compliance with institutional protocols in childbirth and newborn care, including breastfeeding within the first hour of the baby's life. Conclusion: Despite scientific evidence emphasizing the importance of breastfeeding, early weaning rates are high, primarily driven by maternal perception of insufficient milk, returning to work, and the use of artificial nipples. This leads us to reflect on the existence of inadequate practices in childbirth and newborn care, contributing to infant morbidity and mortality.