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Maternal nonstandard work schedules and breastfeeding behaviors

Maternal nonstandard work schedules and breastfeeding behaviors
Maternal nonstandard work schedules and breastfeeding behaviors
Objectives: although maternal employment rates have increased in the last decade in the UK, there is very little research investigating the linkages between maternal nonstandard work schedules (i.e., work schedules outside of the Monday through Friday, 9–5 schedule) and breastfeeding initiation and duration, especially given the wide literature citing the health advantages of breastfeeding for mothers and children.

Methods: this paper uses a population-based, UK cohort study, the Millennium Cohort Study (n = 17,397), to investigate the association between types of maternal nonstandard work (evening, night, away from home overnight, and weekends) and breastfeeding behaviors.

Results: in unadjusted models, exposure to evening shifts was associated with greater odds of breastfeeding initiation (OR 1.71, CI 1.50–1.94) and greater odds of short (OR 1.55, CI 1.32–1.81), intermediate (OR 2.01, CI 1.64–2.47), prolonged partial duration (OR 2.20, CI 1.78–2.72), and prolonged exclusive duration (OR 1.53, CI 1.29–1.82), compared with mothers who were unemployed and those who work other types of nonstandard shifts. Socioeconomic advantage of mothers working evening schedules largely explained the higher odds of breastfeeding initiation and duration.

Conclusions: socioeconomic characteristics explain more breastfeeding behaviors among mothers working evening shifts. Policy interventions to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration should consider the timing of maternal work schedules.
1092-7875
Zilanawala, Afshin
dddbeee8-798a-441c-bb79-f0d3908647dd
Zilanawala, Afshin
dddbeee8-798a-441c-bb79-f0d3908647dd

Zilanawala, Afshin (2017) Maternal nonstandard work schedules and breastfeeding behaviors. Maternal and Child Health Journal. (doi:10.1007/s10995-016-2233-4).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objectives: although maternal employment rates have increased in the last decade in the UK, there is very little research investigating the linkages between maternal nonstandard work schedules (i.e., work schedules outside of the Monday through Friday, 9–5 schedule) and breastfeeding initiation and duration, especially given the wide literature citing the health advantages of breastfeeding for mothers and children.

Methods: this paper uses a population-based, UK cohort study, the Millennium Cohort Study (n = 17,397), to investigate the association between types of maternal nonstandard work (evening, night, away from home overnight, and weekends) and breastfeeding behaviors.

Results: in unadjusted models, exposure to evening shifts was associated with greater odds of breastfeeding initiation (OR 1.71, CI 1.50–1.94) and greater odds of short (OR 1.55, CI 1.32–1.81), intermediate (OR 2.01, CI 1.64–2.47), prolonged partial duration (OR 2.20, CI 1.78–2.72), and prolonged exclusive duration (OR 1.53, CI 1.29–1.82), compared with mothers who were unemployed and those who work other types of nonstandard shifts. Socioeconomic advantage of mothers working evening schedules largely explained the higher odds of breastfeeding initiation and duration.

Conclusions: socioeconomic characteristics explain more breastfeeding behaviors among mothers working evening shifts. Policy interventions to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration should consider the timing of maternal work schedules.

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Accepted/In Press date: 28 December 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 13 January 2017

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 451311
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/451311
ISSN: 1092-7875
PURE UUID: 36b6027f-8314-455e-851f-29c3597a331f
ORCID for Afshin Zilanawala: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-1439-6128

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Date deposited: 20 Sep 2021 16:32
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 04:07

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