OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the association between breast feeding transition and the presence of risk to child development. METHODS: The sample consisted of 62 mother-infant dyads. Data collection occurred through the analysis of mother-infant interaction made based on the Protocol Risk Indicators Infant Development (IRDIs) and an interview that investigated aspects of breastfeeding and weaning. The data were organized into categories to transition to breast feeding and the presence or absence of risk to child development, and temporal variables, and statistically analyzed with the software STATISTICA 9.0. RESULTS: The results showed that the difficulty of transition and difficulty breast feeding correlated significantly with the presence of risk to child development in the collection phase of IRDIs 12 - 18 months. It is also associated with variable age of transition feeding, age of inclusion of solid food, duration of breastfeeding and artificial feeding time. CONCLUSION: The research shows that the difficulties in feeding and food transition are associated with changes in initial detectable by protocol Indexes Risk Infant Development, especially the theoretical basis with regard to the paternal function.