Breastfeeding by Working Mothers: Global Challenges

A mother’s full-time employment is a determinant factor in abandoning exclusive breastfeeding before 6 months. White-collar workers have better knowledge, attitude, and practice toward than blue-collar workers. The discontinuation of associated with delayed skin-to-skin contact, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit admission, pacifier artificial teats use, return to work earlier lower education levels. Racial ethnic disparities paid unpaid workloads mothers, the relationship between components job quality duration own milk provision. However, returning work, insufficient breast milk, misconceptions about breastfeeding, interference social life were barriers for mothers breastfeed continuously. Several aspects must be considered increase chances beneficial effect interventions: type intervention, target audience, timing actors that can implement it, strategies methods intensity intervention. Intervention efforts should focus on behavior change educate equip overcome are within their control. Such interventions further family-centered strengthening proficiency healthcare advising mothers. Findings point importance health visitors providing emotional support bolster continuation encourage positive subjective experience infant feeding. emphasis encourages increased allocation resources training opportunities ensure able provide enhanced support. Women’s experiences reveal daily difficulties reconciling desire scenario. Support network adaptation children’s food routine adopted minimize risks weaning. results show need consolidate policies continued labor market. Effort needed sustain after maternal work. breastfeeding-friendly policy clear operating guidelines workplace critical sustaining breastfeeding. Learning from others who had will all women supported future. When ‘breastfeeding only’ offered women, particular, exclusivity likely increased. may also more effective reducing number stopping at three four months compared later time points. For plus’ evidence less certain. either by professional or lay/peer supporters, combination both. face-to-face, via telephone digital technologies, when delivered schedule eight visits. Further identify deliver larger scale. Governments make it obligatory employers offer program dedicated facility as these simple measures significantly Knowledge improvement related benefits supports working key priority, however advocacy employers, managers, supervisors facilitation successful among Policies, regulations, laws supporting promotion practices until recommended WHO reinforced.