Maternal return to work and breastfeeding: A population-based cohort study

Chuang, Chao-Hua; Chang, Pei-Jen; Chen, Yi-Chun; Hsieh, Wu-Shiun; Hurng, Baai-Shyun; Lin, Shio-Jean; Chen, Pau-Chung

doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2009.09.003

« Previous Next »International Journal of Nursing Studies
Volume 47, Issue 4 , Pages 461-474, April 2010

Maternal return to work and breastfeeding: A population-based cohort study

Chao-Hua Chuang
- Department of Nursing, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan County, Taiwan
- Corresponding author at: Department of Nursing, Chang Jung Christian University, 396, Sec. 1, Chang Jung Road, Kway Jen, Tainan 71101, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 6 278 5123; fax: +886 6 278 5581.
Pei-Jen Chang
- Department of Nursing, National Taipei College of Nursing, Taipei, Taiwan
Yi-Chun Chen
- School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
Wu-Shiun Hsieh
- Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
Baai-Shyun Hurng
- Population and Health Research Center, Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, Taichung, Taiwan
Shio-Jean Lin
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng-Kung University Hospital and National Cheng-Kung University College of Medicine, Tainan, Taiwan
Pau-Chung Chen
- Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan

Received 10 April 2009; received in revised form 14 August 2009; accepted 6 September 2009.

Abstract

Background

In recent decades there has been a marked rise in the participation of women with infants in the labour market, while there has been a decline in the prevalence rate of breastfeeding.

Objective

To explore the relationship between maternal return to work and breastfeeding.

Design

An on-going prospective longitudinal study.

Setting and participants

Multistage stratified systematic sampling was designed to recruit 24,200 pairs, postpartum women and newborns, from the Taiwan national birth register in 2005. Participating women underwent two home interviews at 6 and 18 months after giving birth, following structured questionnaires. A total of 21,248 and 20,172 women were interviewed, and the completed interview rate was thus 87.8% and 83.4% at 6 and 18 months, respectively. All study participants provided informed consent as approved by the Ethics Review Board of the National Taiwan College of Public Health.

Results

The overall prevalence of initial breastfeeding was 83.7%. Postpartum women returning to work less than or equal to 1 month had the lowest initiation of breastfeeding rate (77.5%), but had a higher prevalence of breastfeeding duration less than or equal to 1 month (34.9%) than the overall population (26.8%). Overall 67.9%, 39.4%, 25.4%, and 12.7% mothers who started breastfeeding still breastfed their infants at the age of 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. Women with maternal leave of less than or equal to 6 months ceased breastfeeding earlier than those with maternal leave beyond 6 months and those who did not return to work up to 18 months after birth. After adjustment for potential confounders, odds ratios of initial breastfeeding seemed no different, except those for postpartum women who returned to work less than or equal to 1 month and those who did not return to work. Mothers returning to work within 1 year after giving birth were significantly earlier in weaning than those without return to work.

Conclusion

In our study, an early maternal return to work, especial within 6 months after giving birth, was a barrier to the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. Thus, a comprehensive strategy is required to encourage the practice of breastfeeding in working women from pregnancy to the return to work, and nurses should work to promote breastfeeding in the different occasion.

Keywords: Return to work, Maternity leave, Breastfeeding, Population-based cohort study