Breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors: a risk to sustainable development.

OBJECTIVES

to assess breastfeeding during the first six months of life of children born during the COVID-19 pandemic, identify associated factors and discuss them based on the Sustainable Development Goals.

METHOD: a longitudinal study conducted with 127 mother-baby dyads born in the pre-vaccination phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed from birth to the sixth month of life. Variables for dyad identification, postpartum depression, bonding, feeding and breastfeeding practices were collected, with data subjected to descriptive and inferential analysis.

RESULTS

a high percentage of early weaning was observed, especially in the first month, associated with the use of a pacifier (p=0.019), difficulty breastfeeding (p=0.015), both in the first month of life, early weaning (p=0.001) and early formula introduction (p=0.001).

CONCLUSION

shorter breastfeeding time and high percentage of early weaning observed in children born during the pandemic may compromise the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.