CONDUTAS DE GESTORES RELACIONADAS AO APOIO AO ALEITAMENTO MATERNO NOS LOCAIS DE TRABALHO

Objective: to identify the behaviors of managers related to breastfeeding support in public and private companies in the region of Greater Florianopolis, Santa Catarina. Method: qualitative, exploratory-descriptive research. The data collection was carried out in August 2015, using a semi-structured and projective interview, in which 20 managers participated. The data organization was carried out through the Atlas.ti software and the analysis through the Content Analysis. Results: the study evidenced two categories. In the first category, positive behaviors were described: the importance of breastfeeding, providing information, monitoring and performing activities during the maternity process, flexibility of function, time and space to enable breastfeeding, family support, open communication, day care and good treatment to the worker. The second Category presents the harmful behaviors, which revealed the unavailability of specialized information and flexibility, a negative view regarding the implementation of breastfeeding support rooms, lack of knowledge of the legislation and the situation of the worker, exemption from liability, unavailability of day care, no extension of maternity leave, no adherence to the Citizen Company Program and no existence of a policy to support breastfeeding. Conclusion: substantial gaps in the breastfeeding support at the workplaces were identified through the behaviors shown by managers. In order for a pro-breastfeeding culture to be implemented, it is necessary to build a support network at the workplace. It is considered important to reflect on which behaviors should be encouraged and which should be modified or expanded, in order to improve the breastfeeding support at the workplace