The leave gap: actual versus optimal maternity leave in a sample of US breastfeeding women

ABSTRACT

Access to quality parental leave is a prominent US work-family issue and crucial for supporting maternal and child health, including breastfeeding outcomes. This is even more salient given the recently updated US public health recommendation to breastfeed for up to two-plus years. Yet little prior research on work-breastfeeding conflict, has addressed breastfeeding women’s perceptions of maternity leave. How much leave do breastfeeding women want relative to what they receive? What shapes their optimal leave perceptions? Using in-depth interview data, we first examined the leave gap between optimal and actual leave duration. Most interviewees reported a leave deficit, averaging 20 weeks. We then examined perceptions of optimal leave – identifying four themes: (1) making comparisons, (2) role transition and adjustment, (3) the developing child, and (4) return-readiness. Overall, we argue that it is important to consider ideal leave and the leave gap, which may produce further strain for breastfeeding employees.

KEYWORDS:

• Breastfeeding
• maternity leave
• leave gap
• maternal and child health

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this project was provided by the Newcomb College Institute Faculty Research Grants, Donna and Richard Esteves Fund for Women’s Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Health Internships and the Tulane Committee on Research Faculty Grants.

Notes on contributors

Katherine M. Johnson

Katherine M. Johnson is an associate professor of sociology and Director of Gender and Sexuality Studies at Tulane University. Her research examines the nexus of work and motherhood vis-a-vis breastfeeding experiences. She also works on broader issues of health, human reproduction, and reproductive technologies, especially addressing implications for the creation of postmodern families and the social construction of maternity. More recently, she has also focused on curricular interventions to address campus sexual violence.

Christina McCarthy

Christina McCarthy has a Bachelor’s degree in sociology. She is currently a third-year medical student at the Tulane School of Medicine, and a member of the School of Medicine OB/GYN interest group. She has previously conducted research focused on college women’s and medical professionals’ views on human egg freezing.