Subjective Aspects of Breastfeeding and Weaning: Evidence from Three Cases/Aspectos Subjetivos da Amamentacao e Desmame: Evidencias em Tres Casos

This study aimed to investigate subjective aspects of breastfeeding and weaning at three and eight months of baby's life. A longitudinal multiple case study design was used. Three primiparous mothers were interviewed about various aspects of motherhood, in particular, breastfeeding and weaning. Analysis of qualitative content of maternal responses, based on psychoanalysis, revealed that breastfeeding can be an indication of an incestuous mother-infant relationship in which this can be taken as the object of maternal desire. Mothers also reported the experiences of pleasure and displeasure associated with breastfeeding, highlighting the existing difficulties and ambiguities present. Thus, the study indicates that breastfeeding and weaning encompass meanings and implications beyond the biological, referring to the mother-child relationship, as well as the mother's constitutive story. Keywords: breastfeeding, weaning, mother child relations, motherhood, psychoanalysis Este estudo investigou aspectos subjetivos da amamentacao e do desmame aos tres e oito meses de vida do bebe. Utilizou-se delineamento de estudo de caso coletivo, sendo que tres maes primiparas responderam a uma entrevista sobre diversos aspectos da maternidade, sobretudo, a amamentacao e o desmame. Analise de conteudo qualitativa das respostas, baseada na psicanalise, revelou que a amamentacao pode indicar uma relacao incestuosa mae-bebe, na qual este pode ser tomado como objeto de desejo materno. As maes tambem relataram experiencias de prazer e desprazer associadas a amamentacao, evidenciando ambivalencias e dificuldades presentes. Portanto, este estudo indicou que a amamentacao e o desmame abarcam significados e implicacoes para alem do biologico, remetendo a relacao mae-filho, bem como a historia constitutiva da propria mae. Palavras-chave: amamentacao, desmame, relacao mae-crianca, maternidade, psicanalise