New nursing research suggests that an extended maternity leave can be crucial for breastfeeding success.
Dr Sylvia Guendelman of the University of California, USA, and colleagues say that juggling breastfeeding and paid work is an important reason for breastfeeding cessation in the first six months.
The researchers looked at the link between breastfeeding and maternity leave before and after birth, by examining figures on 770 full-time working mothers.
They found that taking maternity leave of less than six weeks was linked to a four times higher chance of "failure to establish breastfeeding and an increased probability of cessation after successful establishment" compared with women not returning to work. Six to 12 weeks was linked to double the risk.
Women who were particularly held back by returning to work included those with inflexible jobs, in non-managerial jobs, and women with "high psychosocial distress". Time off work in the ninth month of pregnancy was not linked to breastfeeding success.
The experts write: "These results suggest that successful breastfeeding is more closely related to postpartum events than to late antenatal leave."
They conclude: "Postpartum maternity leave may have a positive effect on breastfeeding among full-time workers. Given the large number of women who return to work or school in the first three months after childbirth, policies and practices are needed that support the minimal goal of six months of exclusive breastfeeding.
"Paediatricians should encourage women to take maternity leave and advocate for extending paid postpartum maternity leave and increased flexibility in working conditions for breastfeeding women."
The findings appear in the journal Pediatrics and are reported in Nursing Standard this week.
Guendelman, J. et al. Juggling work and breastfeeding: effects of maternity leave and occupational characteristics. Pediatrics, Vol. 123, January 2009, pp. e38-e46.
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