Maternal employment and breastfeeding: results from the longitudinal study of Australian children

Abstract

AIM: To investigate the effect of maternal postnatal employment on breastfeeding duration in Australia in the first 6 months after birth. METHOD: Secondary data analysis of the infant data (2004) from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). Complete maternal and breastfeeding data were available for 3,697 infants. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the effect of timing of resumption of maternal employment and maternal employment status on breastfeeding at 6 months postpartum after adjustment for maternal education, maternal age, maternal smoking during pregnancy and socioeconomic status of the child's area of residence. RESULTS: Fewer women employed full-..