title: The effect of maternity leave length and time of return to work on breastfeeding.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the effect of maternity leave length and time of first return to work on breastfeeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort. Restricting our sample to singletons whose biological mothers were the respondents at the 9-month interview and worked in the 12 months before delivery (N = 6150), we classified the length of total maternity leave (weeks) as 1 to 6, 7 to 12, ≥ 13, and did not take; paid maternity leave (weeks) as 0, 1 to 6, ≥ 7, and did not take; and time of return to work postpartum (weeks) as 1 to 6, 7 to 12, ≥ 13, and not yet returned. Analyses included χ(2) tests and multiple logistic regressions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our study population, 69.4% initiated breastfeeding with positive variation by both total and paid maternity leave length, and time of return to work. In adjusted analyses, neither total nor paid maternity leave length had any impact on breastfeeding initiation or duration. Compared with those returning to work within 1 to 6 weeks, women who had not yet returned to work had a greater odds of initiating breastfeeding (odds ratio [OR]: 1.46 [1.08-1.97]; risk ratios [RR]: 1.13 [1.03-1.22]), continuing any breastfeeding beyond 6 months (OR: 1.41 [0.87-2.27]; RR: 1.25 [0.91-1.61]), and predominant breastfeeding beyond 3 months (OR: 2.01 [1.06-3.80]; RR: 1.70 [1.05-2.53]). Women who returned to work at or after 13 weeks postpartum had higher odds of predominantly breastfeeding beyond 3 months (OR: 2.54 [1.51-4.27]; RR: 1.99 [1.38-2.69]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If new mothers delay their time of return to work, then duration of breastfeeding among US mothers may lengthen.
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Child Health Program, Division of Public Health, Georgia Department of Community Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. chogbuanu@dhr.state.ga.us
authors.forename: Chinelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ogbuanu
authors.forename: Saundra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Glover
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.forename: Jihong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hussey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016524:Parental Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014931:Women, Working / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult