Hostname: page-component-54dcc4c588-br6xx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-12T07:07:04.125Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Does breastfeeding support at work help mothers, children, and employers at the same time?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 September 2022

Emilia Del Bono  and
Chiara Daniela Pronzato
Emilia Del Bono
Affiliation:
Institute for Social and Economic Research, University Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3SQ UK
Chiara Daniela Pronzato*
Affiliation:
Università di Torino and Collegio Carlo Alberto, Lungo Dora Siena 100, 10153 Torino, Italy
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: chiaradaniela.pronzato@unito.it
Get access

Abstract

This paper investigates whether the availability of breastfeeding facilities at the workplace helps to reconcile breastfeeding and work commitments, and whether it has beneficial effects for the health of the child. Using data from the UK Infant Feeding Survey, we find that the availability of breastfeeding facilities at work is associated with longer breastfeeding durations for all women and shorter maternity leave spells for higher educated women. We also find that children born to mothers whose employer offers breastfeeding facilities experience significantly fewer sickness in the first 6 months of life.

Keywords

Breastfeedingchild outcomesfemale labor supplywork facilitiesJ13C26

Information

Type
Research Paper
Information
Journal of Demographic Economics , Volume 90 , Issue 1 , March 2024 , pp. 88 - 115
Copyright
Copyright © Université catholique de Louvain 2022

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

American Academy of Pediatrics (1997) Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics 100(6), 1035–1039.Google Scholar
American Academy of Pediatrics (2005) Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics 115(2), 496–506.Google Scholar
Baker, Michael and Milligan, Kevin (2008) Maternal employment, breastfeeding, and health: evidence from maternity leave mandates. Journal of Health Economics 27(4), 871–887.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bernard, Alison (2018) BCNF Perspective: How Breastfeeding Contributes to Childhood Obesity Prevention, https://www.healthycaribbean.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/BCNFPerspective-Dr.-Alison-Bernard.pdf.Google Scholar
Borra, Cristina, Iacovou, Maria and Sevilla-Sanz, Almudena (2012) The effect of breatsfeeding on children's cognitive and noncognitive development. Labour Economics 19, 496–515.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, Sara and Sessions, Joh (1996) The economics of absence: theory and evidence. Journal of Economic Surveys 10, 23–53.Google Scholar
CDC Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2018) Breastfeeding report card. https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm.Google Scholar
Chatterji, Pinka and Frick, Kevin (2005) Does returning to work after childbirth affect breastfeeding practices? Review of Economics of the Household 3(3), 315–335.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chuang, Chao-Hua, Chang, Pei-Jen, Chen, Yi-Chun, Hsieh, Wu-Shiun, Hurng, Baai-Shyun, Lin, Shio-Jean and Chen, Pau-Chung (2010) Maternal return to work and breastfeeding: a population based cohort study. International Journal of Nursing Studies 47, 461–474.Google Scholar
Chun Chen, Yi, Wu, Ya-Chi and Chie, Wei-Chu (2006) Effects of work-related factors on the breastfeeding behavior of mothers in a Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer: a cross sectional survey. BMC Public Health 6, 160.Google Scholar
Cohen, Rona, Mrtek, Marsha and Mrtek, Robert (1995) Comparison of maternal absenteeism and infant illness rates among breast-feeding and formula-feeding women in two corporations. American Journal of Health Promotion 10(2), 148–153.Google Scholar
Del Bono, Emilia and Rabe, Birgitta (2012) Breastfeeding and child cognitive outcomes: evidence from a hospital-based breastfeeding support policy, ISER Working Paper 2012-29, University of Essex.Google Scholar
Eldridge, Lucy and Pabilonia, Sabrina (2007) Are those who bring work home really working longer hours? Implications for BLS Productivity Measures, Bureau of Labor Statistics Working Paper No. 406, Washington, D.C.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fein, Sara and Roe, Brian (1998) The effect of work status on initiation and duration of breast-feeding. American Journal of Public Health 88(7), 1042–1046.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gielen, Andrea, Faden, Ruth, O'Campo, Patricia, Brown, Hendriks and Paige, David (1991) Maternal employment during the early postpartum period: effects on initiation and continuation of breastfeeding. Pediatrics 87(3), 298–305.Google Scholar
Greene, William (1993) Econometric Analysis, 2nd ed., New York: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Hawkins, Summer, Griffiths, Lucy, Dezateux, Carol and Catherine, Law (2007) Maternal employment and breast-feeding initiation: findings from the Millennium Cohort Study. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 21(3), 242–247.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Heckman, James (1978) Dummy endogenous variables in a simultaneous equation system. Econometrica 9, 255–268.Google Scholar
Heikkila, Katriina, Sacker, Amanda, Kelly, Yvonne, Renfrew, Mary and Quigley, Maria (2011) Breastfeeding and child behavior in the Millennium Cohort Study. Archives of Disease in Childhood 96(7), 635–642.Google Scholar
Heywood, John and Jirjahn, Uwe (2004) Teams, teamwork and absence. Scandinavian Journal of Economics 106, 765–782.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, Jeffrey, Hawkins, Alan, Ferris, Maria and Weitzman, Michelle (2001) Finding an extra day a week: the positive influence of perceived job flexibility on work and family life balance. Family Relations 50, 49–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Horta, Bernard, Bahl, Rajiv, Martines, Josè and Victora, Cesar (2007) Evidence of the long-term effects of breastfeeding. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses, World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/43623/9789241595230_eng.pdf?sequence=1.Google Scholar
Ip, Stanley, Chung, Mei, Raman, Gowri, Chew, Priscilla, Magula, Nombulelo, DeVine, Deirdre, Trikalinos, Thomas and Lau, Joseph (2007) Breastfeeding and maternal and infant health outcomes in developed countries, agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Publication n. 07-E007.Google Scholar
Jacknowitz, Alison (2008) The role of workplace characteristics in breastfeeding practices. Women and Health 47(2), 87–111.Google Scholar
Johnston, Marina and Esposito, Nooren (2007) Barriers and facilitators for breastfeeding among working women in the United States. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing 36(1), 9–20.Google Scholar
Kozhimannil, Katy, Jou, Judy, Gjerdingen, Dwenda and McGovern, Patricia (2016) Access to workplace accommodations to support breastfeeding after passage of the affordable care act. Women's Health Issues 26(1), 6–13.Google Scholar
Kurinij, Natalie, Shiono, Patricia, Ezrine, Sandi and Rhoads, George (1989) Does maternal employment affect breast-feeding? American Journal of Public Health 79, 1247–1250.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lehrer, Evelyn, Santero, Teresa and Mohan-Neill, Sumaria (1991) The impact of employer sponsored child care on female labor supply behavior. Population Research and Policy Review 10, 197–212.Google Scholar
Maternity Alliance (1997) Breastfeeding and Work. Facing the Management Challenge. London: The Maternity Alliance.Google Scholar
Mills, Susan (2009) Workplace lactation programs: a critical element for breastfeeding mother's success. AAOHN Journal 57(6), 227–231.Google Scholar
Ortiz, Joan, McGilligan, Kathryn and Kelly, Patricia (2004) Duration of breast milk expression among working mothers enrolled in an employer-sponsored lactation program. Pediatric Nursing 30(2), 111–119.Google Scholar
Pronzato, Chiara (2009) Return to work after childbirth: does parental leave matter in Europe? Review of Economics of the Household 7(4), 341–360.Google Scholar
Quigley, Maria, Kelly, Yvonne and Sacker, Amanda (2007) Breastfeeding and hospitalization for diarrheal and respiratory infection in the United Kingdom Millennium Cohort Study. Pediatrics 119(4), e837–e842.Google Scholar
Roe, Brian, Whittington, Leslie, Fein, Sara and Teisl, Mario (1999) Is there competition between breast-feeding and maternal employment? Demography 36, 157–171.Google Scholar
Rothstein, Donna (2013) Breastfeeding and children's early cognitive outcomes. Review of Economics and Statistics 95(3), 919–931.Google Scholar
Sacker, Amanda, Quigley, Maria and Kelly, Yvonne (2006) Breastfeeding and developmental delay: findings from the Millennium Cohort Study. Pediatrics 118(3), e682–e689.Google Scholar
Scott, Victoria, Taylor, Yhenneko, Basquin, Cecily and Venkitsubramanian, Kailas (2019) Impact of key workplace breastfeeding support characteristics on job satisfaction, breastfeeding duration, and exclusive breastfeeding among health care employees. Breastfeeding Medicine 14(6), 416–423.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Spitzmueller, Christianae, Wang, Zuxi, Zhang, Jing, Thomas, Candice, Fisher, Gwenith, Matthews, Russell and Strathearn, Lane (2016) Got milk? Workplace factors related to breastfeeding among working mothers. Journal of Organizational Behavior 37, 692–718. UNICEF United Kingdom (2010) Breastfeeding in the UK. https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/about/breastfeeding-in-the-uk/.Google Scholar
Visness, Cynthia and Kennedy, Kathy (1997) Maternal employment and breast-feeding: findings from the 1988 national maternal and infant health study. American Journal of Public Health 87(6), 945–950.Google Scholar
Wallenborn, Jordyn, Perera, Robert, Wheeler, David, Lu, Juan and Masho, Saba (2019) Workplace support and breastfeeding duration: the mediating effect of breastfeeding intention and self-efficacy. Birth 46, 121–128.Google Scholar
Wilde, Joachim (2000) Identification of multiple equation probit models with endogenous dummy variables. Economic Letters 69(1), 309–312.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
World Health Assembly (2001) Infant and Young Child Nutrition: Resolution 54.2. Geneva: World Health Organization.Google Scholar