Maternal Employment and Breastfeeding

Auerbach, Kathleen G.

doi:10.1001/archpedi.1984.02140480060018

Cited by 79 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Extensive evidence is available about direct relationship of breastfeeding support at the workplace and continuation of breastfeeding in working mothers [6, 10–12]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Employers’ perspective of workplace breastfeeding support in Karachi, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study

et al. 2016

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BackgroundBreastfeeding is considered to be an important measure to achieve optimum health outcomes for children, women’s return to work has frequently been found to be a main contributor to the early discontinuation of breastfeeding. The aim of the study is to assess workplace breastfeeding support provided to working mothers in Pakistan.MethodA workplace based cross-sectional survey was conducted from April through December 2014. Employers from a representative sample of 297 workplaces were interviewed on pre-tested and structured questionnaire. The response rate was 93.7 %. Prevalence of workplace breastfeeding facilities were assessed in the light of World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) guidelines.ResultsAmong non-physical facilities, all workplaces offered 3 months paid maternity leave, 45 % of the sites were offering task adjustment to mothers during lactation period. Only 15 % of the sites were offering breastfeeding breaks to working mothers. Physical facilities that include a breastfeeding corner, refrigerator for storing breast milk, breast milk pump and nursery for childcare were provided in less than 7 % of the sites. Multinational organizations provided better support compared to national organizations.ConclusionSupport for continuation of breastfeeding by working women at workplaces is inadequate; hence, women discontinue breastfeeding earlier than planned. Policies need to be developed and enforced, employers and employees need to be educated and supportive environment needs to be created to encourage and facilitate breastfeeding friendly worksite environment.

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“…Extensive evidence is available about direct relationship of breastfeeding support at the workplace and continuation of breastfeeding in working mothers [6, 10–12]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Employers’ perspective of workplace breastfeeding support in Karachi, Pakistan: a cross-sectional study

et al. 2016

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“…2,6 A 1996 study of breastfeeding initiation and continuation among resident physicians in the United States found that the residents' work, which separates mother and infant for many hours, was implicated as the most common reason for discontinuing breastfeeding. 2 Auerbach and Guss 7 reported that women who returned to work prior to 16 weeks postpartum and whose infants were weaned before 6 months of age were nearly twice as likely as women whose infants were weaned later to perceive that working had negatively influenced breastfeeding. Mere maternal expectations for returning to work full-time at 3 months postpartum has been shown to significantly decrease breastfeeding duration by an average of 8.6 weeks.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Breastfeeding and Employment: An Assessment of Employer Attitudes

Libbus

Bullock

2002

J Hum Lact

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Both research and anecdotal reports suggest that maternal employment is associated with failure to initiate breastfeeding and early breastfeeding attrition. The objective of this study was to describe the experience with and attitudes toward breastfeeding of a sample of employers in a small Midwestern city in the United States. Based on an analysis of 85 mail-out questionnaires, we found that less than half of the employers had personal experience with breastfeeding. A large percentage of the sample, however, indicated that they would be willing to facilitate women who wished to breastfeed or express milk in the workplace. However, these employers also stated that they saw little value to their business of supporting breastfeeding in the work environment. Thus, enhancement of breastfeeding opportunity in the work environment may come as a result of public and employer education but, more likely, will require some type of directive from official sources.

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“…Women who initiate breast-feeding, but who must work outside the home, have to make decisions about continuing breast-feeding (Cohen & Mrtek, 1994). Auerbach and Guss (1984) surveyed a sample of predominantly well-educated, White, married mothers who had breast-fed while employed and found that weaning before 1 year of age was associated with early postpartum employment.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Currently, more than half of the married mothers of infants younger than 1 year are employed outside the home (Kearney & Cronenwett, 1991). Auerbach and Guss (1984) suggest that it is the timing of returning to employment and the number of daily hours worked, rather than the type of job, that influences when babies are weaned. Mothers who return to work early and for more than 20 hours per week tend to wean their infants earlier than other women (Duckett, 1992).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%