UC Irvine

Background

Job satisfaction is associated with health and productivity. Workplace support for breastfeeding may affect working mothers' job satisfaction.

Methods

We analyzed responses from 488 women from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II (2005-2007). Using logistic regression, we assessed whether workplace breastfeeding problems at 3 months postpartum were related to low job satisfaction concurrently and, for a subsample (n = 265), at 9 and 12 months postpartum.

Results

Compared with women reporting no problems, women reporting three or more problems had higher odds (odds ratio [OR] = 4.76; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.03-11.18) of low job satisfaction at 3 months, and at 12 months (OR = 6.88, 95% CI: 1.33-35.58) after controlling for baseline job satisfaction. Models isolating problems with break time and space to pump/nurse showed more modest results.

Conclusions

Work-related breastfeeding problems at 3 months postpartum were associated with low job satisfaction concurrently and at follow-up. Improving workplace breastfeeding accommodations could improve mothers' job satisfaction.