Level of nursing knowledge and factors that hinder or favor exclusive breastfeeding in late first-time adolescents in neonatology at a public hospital in Rosario

This case study, with a qualitative and quantitative approach, was carried out in the neonatology service of a public hospital in the city of Rosario. Its main objective was to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes towards exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in first-time adolescent mothers, as well as to survey sociodemographic characteristics and the knowledge of the nursing team that accompanies them. Two instruments were applied: a Likert-type scale to measure attitudes, and the questionnaire by Muñoz et al. (2022) to assess knowledge about breastfeeding. The sample consisted of 132 adolescent mothers between 15 and 19 years of age and 23 nurses from the service. The results showed that a significant proportion of the mothers had insufficient knowledge about breastfeeding, although most of them expressed positive attitudes towards EML, especially in terms of its immunological and affective benefits. The study highlights the importance of the role of the nursing team as a key agent in strengthening the mother-child bond and promoting healthy practices, underscoring the need to implement educational strategies aimed at this population group. Respect for ethical principles was guaranteed, ensuring the confidentiality and voluntariness of the participants.