Other Titles
Maternal Employment, Breastfeeding Relationships, and Maternal Emotions during COVID-19 A Prospective Parallel Mixed Methods Design [Title Slide]
Abstract
Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic changed maternal employment (e.g., telework options) and caregiving infrastructure in the US (Bauer & Yu Want, 2023). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of maternal employment on breastfeeding relationships, i.e., mutual responsiveness during direct breastfeeding in response to perceived adequate milk supply (Wood et al., 2022 & 2023) and its relation to maternal emotions (Watson et al., 1988). Additionally, breastfeeding experiences were explored qualitatively.
Methods: A prospective, mixed methods, between groups repeated measures design was used (N = 81). Data were obtained between June 2022 and August 2023 through online surveys at 4, 12, 20, and 24 weeks after birth from mothers who had initiated their healthy term singleton infants into direct breastfeeding. Three groups represented mothers who: 1) stayed at home with their infant full-time (SAH); 2) returned to work from home/telework (WFH); and 3) returned to work outside of the home (WOH). Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models, Kaplan-Meier time-to-event analysis, and inductive content analysis.
Results: SAH mothers had a slower decrease in breastfeeding relationships (β = -0.85, p = 0.047) as well as perceived adequate milk supply (β = -0.28, p < 0.001) over time than mothers who returned to WOH. Mothers who returned to WFH slightly increased negative emotions over time compared to mothers who returned to WOH (β = 0.72, p = 0.043). Mothers who returned to WOH were more likely to discontinue exclusive direct breastfeeding at 24 weeks. Qualitative results showed that mothers who were committed to direct breastfeeding achieved emotional well-being (e.g., feeling relaxed) (Wood et al., 2024). In contrast, mothers who had less frequent direct breastfeeding experienced low milk supply, slow infant weight gain, or maternal distress. Unrestricted direct breastfeeding was the reported strategy mothers who returned to WFH and WOH used to restore breastfeeding relationships.
Nursing implications: Mothers who returned to WFH and WOH were more likely to struggle with keeping breastfeeding relationships with their infants compared to SAH mothers. Nurses need to discuss with employed mothers that the engagement of work might affect breastfeeding challenges regardless of WFH or WOH. Unrestricted direct breastfeeding is the strategy mothers can use to restore breastfeeding relationships upon reunion after they return to WFH or WOH.
Notes
References:
Bauer, L., & Yu Wang, S. (2023). Prime-age women are going above and beyond in the labor market recovery. The Hamilton Project.
https://www.hamiltonproject.org/publication/post/prime-age-women-are-going-above-and-beyond-in-the-labor-market-recovery/
Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 54(6), 1063-70. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.54.6.1063
Wood, N. K., Barbosa-Leiker, C., Odom-Maryon, T., Kantrowitz-Gordon, I., Reifsnider, E., & Miller, K. R. (2022). Instrument development and psychometric validation using confirmatory factor analysis of the Breastfeeding Relationship Scale, Journal of Nursing Measurement, 30(3), 449-453. JNM-D-20-00139. doi: 10.1891/JNM-D-20-00139
Wood, N. K., Barbosa-Leiker, C., Odom-Maryon, T. (2023). Determinants of exclusively direct breastfeeding using constructs from the Breastfeeding Relationship Scale. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 20, 1-15. doi: 10.1080/02646838.2023.2191113
Wood, N. K., Helfrich-Miller, K. R., & Dyer, A. M. (2024). A longitudinal study of Breastfeeding Relationships at home during the COVID-19 pandemic: A grounded theory method. Journal of Advanced Nursing, http://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16219
Sigma Membership
Delta Chi at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Public and Community Health, Primary Care, Workforce, Maternal Employment Types, Breastfeeding, Maternal Employment Types Impact on Breastfeeding
Recommended Citation
Wood, Natsuko K. and Nii-Ayitey, Justice, "Relationships Between Maternal Employment, Breastfeeding Relationships, and Maternal Emotions" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 148.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/148
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Relationships Between Maternal Employment, Breastfeeding Relationships, and Maternal Emotions
Seattle, Washington, USA
Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic changed maternal employment (e.g., telework options) and caregiving infrastructure in the US (Bauer & Yu Want, 2023). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of maternal employment on breastfeeding relationships, i.e., mutual responsiveness during direct breastfeeding in response to perceived adequate milk supply (Wood et al., 2022 & 2023) and its relation to maternal emotions (Watson et al., 1988). Additionally, breastfeeding experiences were explored qualitatively.
Methods: A prospective, mixed methods, between groups repeated measures design was used (N = 81). Data were obtained between June 2022 and August 2023 through online surveys at 4, 12, 20, and 24 weeks after birth from mothers who had initiated their healthy term singleton infants into direct breastfeeding. Three groups represented mothers who: 1) stayed at home with their infant full-time (SAH); 2) returned to work from home/telework (WFH); and 3) returned to work outside of the home (WOH). Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models, Kaplan-Meier time-to-event analysis, and inductive content analysis.
Results: SAH mothers had a slower decrease in breastfeeding relationships (β = -0.85, p = 0.047) as well as perceived adequate milk supply (β = -0.28, p < 0.001) over time than mothers who returned to WOH. Mothers who returned to WFH slightly increased negative emotions over time compared to mothers who returned to WOH (β = 0.72, p = 0.043). Mothers who returned to WOH were more likely to discontinue exclusive direct breastfeeding at 24 weeks. Qualitative results showed that mothers who were committed to direct breastfeeding achieved emotional well-being (e.g., feeling relaxed) (Wood et al., 2024). In contrast, mothers who had less frequent direct breastfeeding experienced low milk supply, slow infant weight gain, or maternal distress. Unrestricted direct breastfeeding was the reported strategy mothers who returned to WFH and WOH used to restore breastfeeding relationships.
Nursing implications: Mothers who returned to WFH and WOH were more likely to struggle with keeping breastfeeding relationships with their infants compared to SAH mothers. Nurses need to discuss with employed mothers that the engagement of work might affect breastfeeding challenges regardless of WFH or WOH. Unrestricted direct breastfeeding is the strategy mothers can use to restore breastfeeding relationships upon reunion after they return to WFH or WOH.
Description
Mothers who returned to work from home had similar struggles with breastfeeding and emotional strains to mothers who returned to work outside of the home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unrestricted direct breastfeeding is the strategy mothers can use to restore breastfeeding relationships upon reunion and continue to breastfeed after they return to work from home or work outside of the home.