Breastfeeding Practices of Women Returning to Full-Time Employment in China: Prevalence and Determinants.
Workplace Health Saf
; 71(2): 68-77, 2023 Feb.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36514253
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Returning to work after childbirth is a common reason for women to stop breastfeeding. This study aimed to assess breastfeeding practices and breastfeeding support available to employed women in China, and factors affecting breastfeeding duration.METHODS:
A cross-sectional survey of 1,243 breastfeeding women employed full-time was conducted. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Workplace Breastfeeding Support Scale (WBSS). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the factors that are associated with breastfeeding.RESULTS:
The mean exclusive breastfeeding duration and any breastfeeding duration of full-time employed women were 5.7 ± 0.5 months and 9.8 ± 1.5 months, respectively. The total WBSS score was 46.6 ± 5.3 (M ± SD). Generally, women perceived coworkers (M [SD] = 4.8 [1.0]) and supervisors (M [SD] = 5.7 [1.2]) to be supportive of breastfeeding. Lower scores on the WBSS were related to lack of technical and facility support, indicating no access to a refrigerator to store breast milk (M [SD] = 2.0 [1.5]) or to a breast pump (M [SD] = 1.7 [1.7]). Similarly, a private area for expressing breast milk (M [SD] = 1.4 [1.0]) was unavailable. Maternity leave, residential province, ethnicity, education level, average monthly household income, main reason for stopping exclusive breastfeeding, commute time greater than 1 hour, and the total WBSS score were also factors influencing breastfeeding duration of the full-time employed women.CONCLUSIONS:
There were gaps in breastfeeding practices and workplace breastfeeding support of Chinese full-time employed women when compared with the World Health Organization recommendations. Occupational health providers should consider these findings when developing programs to support breastfeeding in the workplace.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Mulheres Trabalhadoras
/
Aleitamento Materno
Tipo de estudo:
Guideline
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
País/Região como assunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article