Cultural imprinting and breast feeding: determinants and challenges

Abstract

Objective: to investigate the influence of cultural imprinting on breastfeeding and its determinants. Method: an integrative review, carried out in November 2020, in the databases that integrate the Virtual Health Library and Cinahl Information Systems, using the indexed descriptors Breastfeeding, Culture and Social Determinants of Health, associated with the Boolean operator AND. Result: the family culture that permeates the universe of the puerperal woman tends to reflect on the decision to initiate, continue and stop breastfeeding, and it is necessary for the health teams to stick to these cultural habits so that the intervention happens in a more targeted and effective way. It was related to the continuation of breastfeeding when migratory processes occur, whose cultural changes are reflected in the conduct of this practice. Conclusion: cultural impriting acts in the practice of breastfeeding, both in a positive and a negative way, and the actions should focus on the issues that may hinder its implementation.