Shorter maternity leave leads to shorter breastfeeding duration, study suggests

BOSTON - The length of maternity leave can have an impact on a baby's nutrition, according to a new study.

Breastfeeding provides numerous health benefits for a newborn baby, including optimal nutrition, improved immunity, and a reduced risk of certain conditions like respiratory infections, asthma, and obesity. And birth parents experience numerous benefits as well, including a lower risk of postpartum depression.

It's recommended that babies breastfeed exclusively for at least the first six months of life. But the length of parental leave can impact how long a baby continues to nurse. Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic reviewed 23 studies and found that the earlier a lactating parent returned to work the less likely they were to meet breastfeeding recommendations.

This association may be even greater among people of color contributing to racial health disparities. Researchers said patients, healthcare workers, and public health officials should advocate for longer paid parental leave.

In:
• Health
• Breastfeeding
• Cleveland Clinic

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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