Vanessa Gomes Silveira

Alimentação complementar da criança sob a ótica de primíparas - doi:10.5020/18061230.2013.p88

Objective: To investigate mothers’ knowledge of infant feeding. Methods: Descriptive study with a qualitative approach, developed in a Primary Health Unit located in the city of Maranguape-CE, with 14 first-time mothers of children aged 6 to 24 months, who were receiving complementary feeding and were resident in the District of Tabatinga between the months of July and October 2009, through participant observation and semi-structured interview. After reading, careful description of the interviews and classification of speech, the following categories emerged: complementary feeding and breastfeeding; food offered to children; and determinants of the healthy infant feeding. Results: Although mothers have basics knowledge of how a healthy diet should be, they continued introducing harmful foods to children, showing lack of control over food education. Mothers are aware that feeding the child could be based on nutritious foods; nevertheless, they prefer choosing those that feature ease of supply. Conclusion: The introduction of new foods was performed incorrectly and nutritional quality is inadequate for children. The mother appears in charge of the child development; however, for this process to be successful, she must become conscious of this subject, since a healthy diet directly influences the child’s organism, as it acts in all body systems.

Percepção materna em relação ao cuidado e desenvolvimento infantil - doi:10.5020/18061230.2011.p245

Objective: To investigate the perception of mothers regarding the care and development of their children. Methods: This was a descriptive and qualitative study, conducted in a Basic Health Unit (UBS) in Fortaleza-CE, Brazil, in the period from July to October, 2008. The subjects were twenty mothers who accompanied their children in childcare consultation and met with favorable clinical conditions. Data collection techniques used free observation and semistructured interview consisting of questions involving the perception of child development and care. Results: By means of data analysis the following categories emerged: “Smile and play: mother’s perception regarding the development of the child”; “Take care: emphasis on breastfeeding and body hygiene”. The main source of nonverbal communication that the child has to convey affection and love is the smile, being an essential activity to child development. We verified that the care with breastfeeding and body hygiene suggest behavioral indicators of maternal sensitivity. Final considerations: The childcare consultation held in UBS is essential, because it allows integration of ideas and actions shared with the professional-parent dyad, thus providing the arousal of new experiences in care and the influence on child development.