Paid Leave & Breastfeeding: Does Policy Impact Infant Health?
"A new study examines how paid family leave policies in California and New Jersey affect breastfeeding rates, offering insights for policymakers nationwide."
Paid family leave policies are gaining traction across the United States, aiming to support parents during the crucial period following childbirth. While the potential benefits of such policies are widely acknowledged, the US remains the only high-income nation without a national mandate. This makes understanding the impact of state-level policies, like those in California and New Jersey, all the more critical.
Recognizing that early return to work can negatively affect breastfeeding practices, maternal health, and even infant immunization rates, researchers are delving into the real-world effects of these policies. Prior studies have often been correlational, making it difficult to isolate the true impact of paid leave. Now, a new study uses a robust quasi-experimental approach to provide clearer evidence on how these policies influence breastfeeding practices.
This article explores the findings of that study, which examines the impact of paid family leave policies in California and New Jersey on breastfeeding rates. By comparing changes in these states with those without such policies, the research sheds light on whether paid leave truly improves breastfeeding outcomes – and for whom.
Does Paid Family Leave Boost Breastfeeding?
The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, analyzed data from the National Immunization Survey (NIS) between 2003 and 2015. This included a large sample of over 300,000 children, offering a broad and diverse dataset to assess the impact of California and New Jersey's paid family leave policies, which allow for up to 6 weeks of partially paid leave.
- Ever breastfed
- Exclusively breastfed at 3 and 6 months
- Still breastfed at 6 and 12 months
- Duration of any breastfeeding
- Exclusive breastfeeding duration
Designing Policies for Equitable Impact
The study's findings highlight the importance of carefully designing paid family leave policies to ensure they benefit all segments of the population. While the policies in California and New Jersey did improve exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months, the benefits were more pronounced among married, White, higher-income, and older mothers.
This suggests that existing policies may not adequately support low-income families, who may struggle to afford even a partial loss of wages. To address this disparity, future policies should consider more generous wage replacement and targeted outreach to vulnerable populations.
Ultimately, this research underscores the potential of paid family leave to improve infant health outcomes, but also emphasizes the need for ongoing evaluation and refinement to maximize its impact and ensure equitable access for all families.