title: Maternal employment and breast-feeding: findings from the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This analysis uses nationally representative data from the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey to explore the factors, including employment, associated with breast-feeding initiation and duration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multiple logistic regression was used to model the determinants of breast-feeding initiation among 9087 US women. Multiple linear regression was used to model the duration of breast-feeding among women who breast-fed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-three percent of mothers initiated breast-feeding in 1988, and the decision to breast-feed was not associated with maternal employment. However, among breast-feeders, returning to work within a year of delivery was associated with a shorter duration of breast-feeding when other factors were controlled. Among employed mothers, the duration of maternity leave was positively associated with the duration of breast-feeding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low rates of breast-feeding initiation in the United States are not attributable to maternal participation in the labor force. However, returning to work is associated with earlier weaning among women who breast-feed.
authors.affiliation: Family Health International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Visness
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016524:Parental Leave; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014931:Women, Working / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*