Introduction:

There is a renewed interest in rescuing the culture of breastfeeding based on the benefits that this practice confers. The identification of maternal characteristics that influence their abandonment makes it possible to develop promotional activities aimed at fostering it.

Objective:

To describe the maternal characteristics that influence the abandonment of exclusive breastfeeding.

Methods:

Observational, descriptive cross-sectional study in 86 mothers of children between 6 and 12 months born during the year 2020, belonging to the Teaching Polyclinic “7 de Noviembre". The variables analyzed were: sociodemographic characteristics, abandonment of exclusive breastfeeding, reason for abandonment, infant morbidities, and level of knowledge about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding.

Results:

The 48,8 % of the mothers were in a consensual union, 55,8 % were workers, and the pre-university level of schooling prevailed (50 %). 36,0 % of the mothers abandoned exclusive breastfeeding; 11,6 % of them were between 14-19 years old. The 54,8 % reported abandoning this practice because the infant did not fill up. Respiratory diseases were the most observed in those who did not receive breastfeed (16,3 %); 50 % of the mothers had an inadequate level of knowledge about the benefits of this practice.

Conclusions:

Most of the mothers did not abandon breastfeeding, they work, are in a consensual union, with a pre-university school level and with inadequate knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding.

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