Abstract

ROCHA, Ana Margarida; LEAL, Isabel  and  MAROCO, João. A amamentação, o feminino e o materno. Aná. Psicológica [online]. 2007, vol.25, n.3, pp.363-380. ISSN 0870-8231.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation regarding the commitment of breastfeeding during a child’s first six months leads to several social pressures towards its use, placing the role of women at a different level concerning primary care during childhood and in this sense promotes a gender asymmetry. The aim of this research is to evaluate the real benefits towards the child’s health and wellbeing. In a comparative study based upon the content analysis of 300 medical files of children of both sexes, (ages 0-5 years), the classification of the breastfeeding characteristics, the clinical health evaluation, the development and the changes in the child’s behaviour were registered. Data shows no statistically significant differences at the health classification level, psychomotor development and evolution of stature-mass, nor behavioural changes between type of breastfeeding and the duration of the breastfeeding type variants (p<0.05). Therefore, we suggest further research in this area with different methodologies and approaches so as to understand if breastfeeding health beliefs, which enhance gender stereotyping, is in fact beneficial to the child.

Keywords : Breast-feeding; gender stereotypes; health beliefs.

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