Maternal employment and the initiation of breastfeeding

This study examines whether planning to be employed postpartum has an effec t on initiation of breastfeeding. Data were collected from questionnaires c ompleted by mothers who were subjects in the prospective, population-based, Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood. The mothers of 10 530 full-term singleton infants gave information during pregnancy on their post partum employment plans and their initial infant feeding methods. Informati on was also given by 7642 of these mothers on the timing of their postpartu m employment plans. Adjusted logistic regression was performed to identify associations between (a) "any" plans to work postpartum and the initiation of breastfeeding, and (b) the timing of the commencement of work postpartum , and the initiation of breastfeeding. A total of 8316 (79%) of the women i nitiated breastfeeding. The decision to breastfeed was not associated with "any" plans to work postpartum. However, women who planned to commence work prior to 6 wk postpartum were significantly less likely to initiate breast feeding compared with those not intending to work postpartum. Older, more h ighly educated women, women who had or were planning to attend childbirth c lasses, women who were breastfed as infants, women who did not smoke and wo men who were giving birth to their first child were significantly more like ly to initiate breastfeeding. Conclusion: Planning to return to employment prior to 6 wk postpartum reduc es the likelihood of initiating breastfeeding. As increasing numbers of mot hers are returning to work shortly after the birth of their child, this fin ding could have implications for maintaining the current level of breastfee ding.