Introduction:

Ecuador does not cover the recommendations to maintain breastfeeding until six months of age of the newborn.

Objective:

Analyze the factors related to the duration of exclusive breastfeeding in working mothers of an Ecuadorian university institution. The study population.

Methods:

Quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study, with retrospective character using a questionnaire designed ad hoc; all working mothers who had been in the last 10 years in the institution were invited to fill it. The study was carried out from September 2018 to June 2019.

Results:

316 mothers participated, 62.8% received information on breastfeeding and 55.6% from the doctor. The first hour of life, 63.9% mothers breastfed. More than half of the participants breastfed for a period of 6 months (56.9%), and with exclusive breastfeeding during an average of 4.56 months. The main reason for not breastfeeding was hypogalactia (26.9%); work placement (19.2%); maternal disease (5.1%). The mean of exclusive breastfeeding was higher in mother who are teachers and researchers (4.79) (SD ± 1.8) than in mothers with administrative and service positions 4.2 (SD ± 2.05), p = 0.012.

Conclusions:

Among the factors that favor breastfeeding are information during pregnancy, as well as establishing it in the first hour of life. The employment situation of women influences the maintenance of breastfeeding for longer and is a cause of dropout, although the most frequent are the health problems of the mother or the newborn.