Breast-Feeding in the Workplace: How to Succeed

Thompson, Patricia E.; Bell, Pegge

doi:10.3109/01460869709026873

Cited by 21 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…30 In addition, a qualitative study indicated that mothers reported that having child care near or at the workplace helped them to succeed at both working and breastfeeding. 31 Although we found that direct feeding of the infant was associated with longer duration of breastfeeding after return to work than pumping only, research on mothers who participate in work-site lactation programs and who only pump at work consistently has shown that they have long average duration of either breastfeeding or concurrent behavior. 19,22,23,32 This finding suggests that support for pumping at work can lead to breastfeeding outcomes similar to those of direct feeding.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 51%

Success of Strategies for Combining Employment and Breastfeeding

2008

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OBJECTIVE. Return to work is associated with diminished breastfeeding intensity and duration. Although more mothers breastfeed after returning to work now than earlier, research has not documented the strategies that mothers use for combining paid work and breastfeeding or their effect on breastfeeding outcomes. This study examined which strategies are associated with smaller decrements in breastfeeding intensity and longer durations.PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS. We analyzed 810 mothers from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II who worked and breastfed. We used regression and censored regression models to analyze 4 strategies that mothers used to combine these 2 activities: (1) feed directly from the breast only; (2) both pump and feed directly; (3) pump only; and (4) neither pump nor breastfeed during the work day. Outcomes were the difference in percentage of milk feeds that were breast milk between the month before and after return to work and duration of breastfeeding after return to work.RESULTS. Forty-three percent of mothers pumped milk at work only; 32% fed the infant directly from the breast only. These 2 strategies, along with pumping and feeding directly, were statistically similar and superior to neither pumping nor breastfeeding during the work day for the outcome of change in breastfeeding intensity. For the outcome of breastfeeding duration, the 2 strategies that included directly feeding from the breast were associated with longer duration than pumping only, whereas the strategy of neither pumping nor breastfeeding during the work day was associated with the shortest duration.CONCLUSIONS. Feeding the infant from the breast during the work day is the most effective strategy for combining breastfeeding and work. Ways to enable direct feeding include on-site child care, telecommuting, keeping the infant at work, allowing the mother to leave work to go to the infant, and having the infant brought to the work site. Establishing ways for mothers to feed from the breast after return to work is important to meet US breastfeeding goals. Pediatrics 2008;122:S56-S62 P OSTPARTUM RETURN TO work is associated with shorter breastfeeding duration 1-5 and lower breastfeeding intensity 6 in the United States. Even as more US mothers of infants are participating in the workforce, 7 the importance of breastfeeding in developed countries is increasingly emphasized. In 1997, the American Academy of Pediatrics increased their recommendation for the minimum duration of breastfeeding from 6 to 12 months on the basis of diverse research showing health benefits in developed countries, and their policy was reaffirmed in 2005. 8,9 National US health objectives call for exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months and breastfeeding duration for at least 12 months. 10,11 A recent series of meta-analyses of the evidence on the effects of breastfeeding on infant health in developed countries concluded that breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of many diseases in both mothers and their infants. 12 Extant literature docume...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 51%

Success of Strategies for Combining Employment and Breastfeeding

2008

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“…[6][7][8] Some of the most common problems experienced by employed breastfeeding mothers include increased fatigue, lack of time and a place at work to express breast milk, lack of support from employers, lack of refrigeration for milk storage, and difficulty maintaining an adequate milk supply. 7,[9][10] Further obstacles include lack of awareness and information regarding the benefits of breastfeeding on the part of health professionals, employers, families, and the public. 11 Women are able to identify the essential requirements for successful breastfeeding while working outside the home.…”

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confidence: 98%

Breast Milk Expression in the Workplace: A Look at Frequency and Time

Slusser¹,

Lange²,

Dickson

et al. 2004

J Hum Lact

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The objective of this article is to study a barrier for breastfeeding women working full-time outside the home: breast milk expression in the workplace. Data are from a large corporation that provides employee benefits. Mothers express breast milk about twice a day when infants are 4 months old (x = 2.2 +/- 0.8) and 6 months old (x = 1.9 +/- 0.6), with a significant decline in frequency (P <.05) comparing the 2 age groups. Most mothers spend 1 hour or less expressing breast milk when infants are 3 (82%) or 6 months old (96%), with a significant difference (P <.05) between the 2 age groups. Mothers of younger infants were no more likely to work fewer days per week than were mothers of older infants. Most women can express breast milk for 3- and 6-month-old infants in less than an hour, distributed in about 2 separate portions, in an employment environment supportive of breastfeeding.

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“…Work place programmes that provide opportunities for mothers to take an extended maternity leave, perhaps on a part-time basis are positive determinants 41 . A work place that provides extended support over time, including facilities for expressing breast milk or even breastfeeding at work, can greatly increase the breastfeeding duration 68 . In some cultural contexts, the view of the breast as a sexual object can create problems for women who want to breastfeed their babies 69 .…”

Section: Community Attributesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breastfeeding determinants and a suggested framework for action in Europe

Yngve

Sjöstróm

2001

Public Health Nutr.

110

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This is a background paper for the EURODIET initiative. A number of international initiatives and documents were identified, such as the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes and a number of consensus reports from professional groups, that propose ways forward for breastfeeding promotion. These point at a range of initiatives on different levels. The determinants for successful breastfeeding have to be identified. They can be categorised into five groups; socio-demographic, psycho-social, health care related, community-and policy attributes. A framework for future breastfeeding promoting efforts on European level is suggested, within which these determinants are considered. A common surveillance system needs to be built in Europe, where determinants of breastfeeding are included. There is also a need for a surveillance system which makes it possible to use the collected data on local level, not only on national and supranational level. Combined with a thorough review of the effectiveness of already existing breastfeeding promotion programmes, a co-ordinated EU ± EFTA action plan on breastfeeding should be formulated and implemented within a few years. Urgent action could take place in parallel, especially targeting young, low-income, less educated mothers.

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Breast-Feeding in the Workplace: How to Succeed

Cited by 21 publications

References 10 publications

Success of Strategies for Combining Employment and Breastfeeding

Success of Strategies for Combining Employment and Breastfeeding

Breast Milk Expression in the Workplace: A Look at Frequency and Time

Breastfeeding determinants and a suggested framework for action in Europe

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