Breastfeeding and its relationship with motor development of infants at 3–4 months of age

ABSTRACT

This was a cross-sectional study that aimed to evaluate the association between breastfeeding and motor development of infants at 3–4 months of age in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul. The outcome, infant motor development, was evaluated through the Bayley Scale of Infant Development (Bayley III). The prevalence of infants that stopped breastfeeding before reaching 3–4 months of age was 16.6%. The most prevalent reason for early weaning was ‘insufficient milk flow’ (50.4%). The general mean of motor development was 104.9 (±13.2) points, and the lowest means were attributed to babies who never breastfed (101.5; SD ±14.6), followed by those stopped breastfeeding (102.5; SD ±14.1). The results revealed that infants who never breastfed and those who had stopped at 3–4 months of age presented −1.9 (CI 95% −3.8;−0.2) points in the motor development scale means when compared with infants who were still breastfeeding.

KEYWORDS:

• Child development
• breast feeding
• human
• weaning

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank all the pregnant women who kindly participated in this study. We would also like to thank the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and the National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT) for funding the larger study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq ), and National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT) under protocol number 401726/2015-0 APP/report 47/2014.

Notes on contributors

Isabela Petry

Isabela Petry is a physical therapist and she is a doctoral student at the Postgraduate Program in Health and Behavior at the Catholic University of Pelotas.

Jéssica Puchalski Trettim

Jéssica Puchalski Trettim is a psychologist, doctor in Health and Behavior. She completed a postdoctoral with an emphasis on maternal and child mental health. She is currently a professor at the Catholic University of Pelotas.

Mariana Bonati de Matos

Mariana Bonati de Matos is a psychologist, doctor in Health and Behavior. He holds a postdoctoral degree by the National Post-Doctoral Program. She is currently a Professor of the Postgraduate Program in Health and Behavior of the Professional Master's in Health in the Life Cycle and of the Psychology and Medicine undergraduate courses at the Catholic University of Pelotas.

Bárbara Borges Rubin

Bárbara Borges Rubin is a psychologist and she is a doctoral student at the Postgraduate Program in Health and Behavior.

Carolina Coelho Scholl

Carolina Coelho Scholl is a psychologist, PhD in Health and Behavior. Specialist in Talent Development and Team Management.

Pedro de Oliveira Firpo

Pedro de Oliveira Firpo is a medicine student from the Catholic University of Pelotas.

Karen Amaral Tavares Pinheiro

Karen Amaral Tavares Pinheiro is a doctor, specialist in Ophthalmology, PhD in Health and Behavior. Professor of Ophthalmology at the Faculty of the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG).

Luciana de Avila Quevedo

Luciana de Àvila Quevedo is a psychologist, PhD in Health and Behavior with internship at the National Post-Doctoral Program. Permanent professor of the Postgraduate Program in Health and Behavior, of the Professional Master's Degree in Women's, Children and Adolescents' Health and of the undergraduate course in Psychology at the Catholic University of Pelotas.

Gabriele Cordenonzi Ghisleni

Gabriele Cordenonzi Ghisleni is graduated in Biological Sciences, PhD in Toxicological Biochemistry. He holds a PhD from the Center for Neurosciences and Molecular Biology at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, a PhD from the Postgraduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the Catholic University of Pelotas and a PhD from the Endocrinology Service from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. She is currently Adjunct Professor at the Catholic University of Pelotas, advisor of the Postgraduate Program in Health and Behavior at UCPel.

Ricardo Tavares Pinheiro

Ricardo Tavares Pinheiro is a psychiatrist, PhD in Medical Sciences from the University of Porto. Titular Professor of Psychiatry at the Catholic University of Pelotas, acting as permanent professor of the Postgraduate Program in Health and Behavior and the Master's in Health in the Vital Cycle. Coordinator of the Stricto Sensu Post-Graduation and Research at Catholic University of Pelotas. Coordinator of the Scientific Initiation Program.

Janaína Vieira dos Santos Motta

Janaína Vieira dos Santos Motta is a nutritionist, PhD in Epidemiology. She is a professor at the Center for Health Sciences and as a permanent member of the Postgraduate Program in Health and Behavior and the Professional Master's in Health in the Life Cycle at the Catholic University of Pelotas. He is currently a professor at the Federal University of Pelotas and in the postgraduate program in Epidemiology.