abstract: 'BackgroundBreastfeeding is a global initiative of the World Health

  Organization and the U.S. domestic health agenda, Healthy People 2020;

  both recommend exclusive breastfeeding, defined as providing breast milk

  only via breast or bottle, through the first 6months of an infant''s

  life. Previous literature has shown the correlation between

  socioeconomic status and breastfeeding, with higher maternal education

  and income as predictors of sustained breastfeeding. This same

  population of women is more likely to be employed outside the home.

  MethodsPubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were

  searched using inclusion and exclusion criteria to identify the effect

  of maternity leave length and workplace policies on the sustainment of

  breastfeeding for employed mothers.

  ResultsCommon facilitators to sustainment of breastfeeding included

  longer length of maternity leave as well as adequate time and space for

  the pumping of breast milk once the mother returned to the workplace.

  Barriers included inconsistency in policy and the lack of enforcement of

  policies in different countries.

  ConclusionsThere is a lack of consistency globally on maternity leave

  length and workplace policy as determinants of sustained breastfeeding

  for employed mothers. A consistent approach is needed to achieve the

  goal of exclusive breastfeeding for infants.'
affiliation: 'Steurer, LM (Corresponding Author), Univ Missouri Kansas City, Sch Nursing
  \& Hlth Studies, One Childrens Pl,PL 25, St Louis, MO 63110 USA.

  Steurer, Lisa M., Univ Missouri Kansas City, Sch Nursing \& Hlth Studies, One Childrens
  Pl,PL 25, St Louis, MO 63110 USA.'
author: Steurer, Lisa M.
author-email: lmi8177@bjc.org
author_list:
- family: Steurer
  given: Lisa M.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1111/phn.12321
eissn: 1525-1446
files: []
issn: 0737-1209
journal: PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING
keywords: breast feeding; parental leave; policy; workplace
keywords-plus: WORKING MOTHERS; SUPPORT; ORGANIZATIONS; EXPERIENCES; EMPLOYMENT; HEALTH
language: English
month: MAY-JUN
number: '3'
number-of-cited-references: '29'
orcid-numbers: Steurer, Lisa/0000-0002-7212-9861
pages: 286-294
papis_id: 86bcbf883925ce06514b55a0fee25666
ref: Steurer2017maternityleave
times-cited: '39'
title: 'Maternity Leave Length and Workplace Policies'' Impact on the Sustainment
  of Breastfeeding: Global Perspectives'
type: Article
unique-id: WOS:000401152400012
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '30'
volume: '34'
web-of-science-categories: Public, Environmental \& Occupational Health; Nursing
year: '2017'