Breastfeeding is considered a primary strategy in health promotion and disease prevention. This document addresses aspects that make evident the importance of breastfeeding for the health of the mother and her child, and the role of health professionals to promote, protect and support breastfeeding. An epidemiological panorama of breastfeeding in Mexico is presented, the main constituents of milk, the benefits of breastfeeding, both for the baby and for the mother, the barriers and myths that somehow influence breastfeeding, the main problems of breastfeeding and how to solve them, the proposed steps and the technique to achieve successful breastfeeding and promote a culture of breastfeeding.

Background. To promote breastfeeding, it is essential to educate and train health professionals to provide counseling and accompaniment to mothers so they can build confidence and gain security for a successful initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. Objective. To evaluate the impact of an educational workshop for medical students aimed to improve their knowledge of and attitudes towards breastfeeding. Material and methods. We conducted a workshop addressing various topics and activities related to breastfeeding with the participation of 154 medical students. Their knowledge and attitudes were assessed at the beginning and end of the workshop. The data were analyzed using non-parametric statistical tests. Results. The results showed that the majority of the students improved their knowledge and attitudes; among the most significant improvements were: information on breast milk nutrient content, the correct breastfeeding technique, the most common breastfeeding problems and solutions, and the need to provide mothers with counseling, support and accompaniment. Conclusions. The educational workshop resulted an effective practice in medical students to increase knowledge and acquire positive attitudes towards breastfeeding. It is important to consider that during their time in medical school, students should have the option of being trained as lactation consultantsKeywords: Breastfeeding, educational workshop, medical students, health promotion.ResumenAntecedentes. Para promover la lactancia materna es indispensable formar y capacitar al personal de salud de manera que brinde consejería y acompañamiento a las madres para que desarrollen seguridad y confianza y logren un inicio y continuación exitosa de la lactancia materna. Objetivo. Evaluar un taller educativo en estudiantes de medicina que tuvo como propósito mejorar sus conocimientos y actitudes sobre lactancia materna. Material y métodos. Se llevó a cabo un taller con 154 estudiantes de medicina donde se abordaron diversos temas y actividades relacionadas con la lactancia materna, al inicio y final del taller se evaluaron sus conocimientos y actitudes. Los datos se analizaron utilizando pruebas estadísticas no paramétricas. Resultados. Se encontró que la mayoría de los estudiantes incrementó los conocimientos y actitudes; entre los más significativos estuvieron: información sobre el contenido nutricional de la leche materna, la técnica correcta de amamantamiento, la resolución de los problemas más comunes y la necesidad de brindar a la madre consejería, apoyo y acompañamiento. Conclusiones. El taller educativo resultó ser una práctica efectiva en los estudiantes de medicina para aumentar los conocimientos y adquirir actitudes positivas hacia la lactancia materna. Es importante considerar que, durante la formación médica, los estudiantes tengan la opción de capacitarse como promotores de la lactancia materna.Palabras clave: Lactancia materna, taller educativo, estudiantes de medicina, promoción de la salud.

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