Objective:

Describe the infant and young child feeding practices of children cared for in institutions of the Colombian Caribbean, includes in implementing the baby friendly hospital strategy.

Methodology:

Qualitative study framed in ethnography through semi-structured interviews, aimed at beneficiary mothers of prioritized health institutions.

Results:

The mothers recognized the nutrtitionals benefits of breastfeeding, in two territories also the emotional benefits. They also show appropriation in relation to perceptual feeding. However, they do not comply with the exclusive period of breastfeeding, they refer to some beliefs around it, an early start of complementary feeding is observed. In turn, the mothers recognized the importance of family and social support networks, such as the Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar.

Conclusion:

This research made it possible to recognize factors that favor and limit the adequate feeding practices of infants and young children, in pregnant and lactating mothers and their support network, who live in conditions of social and economic vulnerability and are cared for in three health institutions of the Colombian Caribbean that are in the process of implementing the baby-friendly hospitals initiative. The foregoing provides elements for the formulation of educational processes in health in the maternal and child population, both in the target population and in institutions that are in the process of implementing the baby-friendly hospitals initiative and policies to maternal and child health.

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