Returning to work and breastfeeding: workplace flexibility is the key

Women with babies under one year old who return to work and continue to breastfeed are more likely to do so if they work part time and have highly flexible work arrangements.

And returning to work did not necessarily equate to a decline in breastfeeding, with the breastfeeding rates of working women with babies under 6 months the same for women not working and not on maternity leave.

The Australian Institute of Family Studies has examined the impact of women’s employment on breastfeeding and has found it is closely linked to workplace flexibility and the availability of leave.

The examination of breastfeeding and women’s employment is based on data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children and is published in the latest edition of the Institute’s Family Matters publication.

“There is no doubting the wide ranging benefits for babies and mothers of breastfeeding, and clearly the longer women can breastfeed the better,” said Institute Director Professor Alan Hayes.

“It is important that we understand what factors impact on their ability to work and continue breastfeeding.

“What our paper shows is that working mothers of young babies clearly need the support and understanding of their employers to continue to breastfeed after returning to paid work.”

Key findings of the research show:

Mothers not working, on leave or working 1-14 hours had the highest breastfeeding rates – around 16% higher than those working 15 hours or more.
Working women with flexible hours had breastfeeding rates 10% higher than those without flexible hours.
50% of working women with a baby under 6 months old were still breastfeeding – only slightly lower than women not employed and not on leave.
Self employed mothers were more likely to breastfeed than other employed mothers.
For employed women where child care is only provided by themselves or the baby’s father, breastfeeding rates were 10% higher than for employed women using other forms of child care.

Institute Research Fellow Dr Jennifer Baxter who conducted the study said ensuring that part time and flexible work was accessible to women across different occupations and industries was the key.

“Shorter work hours and flexible work hours are particularly related to higher breastfeeding rates.

“Women need opportunities to undertake highly flexible work while they are still breastfeeding, or at least while their children are young so that they have the option to continue breastfeeding.

“Some women continue breastfeeding while in paid employment by managing with no child care other than that provided by themselves or the child’s father.

“It is important that opportunities be explored for continuing to encourage breastfeeding-friendly workplaces,” she said.

(Source: Australian Institute of Family Studies: December 2008)