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Purpose.The goal of this study was to examine the impact of two corporate lactation programs on breast-feeding behavior among employed women.Design.Breast-feeding behavior was measured for up to one year among women who had given birth during 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1992 and compared with national norms.Setting.The study was conducted at two corporations: a utilities company with 11,000 employees of which 22% were female with approximately 100 births each year and a space corporation with 3,900 employees of which 31 % were female with approximately 30 births per year.Subjects.Participants were 187 employees returning to work following maternity leave for a medically uncomplicated birth.Intervention.Participants collected and stored breast milk using the worksite breast pump room at scheduled times during the workshift and were counseled by a lactation professional throughout the study.Measures.A questionnaire was used to establish breast-feeding behavior. Duration was reported by the lactation professional.Results.Since program inception, 75 % of the participants who returned to work while breast-feeding continued until their child was six months old. This represented 139 of the 187 mothers at the two companies. Average duration of breast-feeding overall was 8.1 months.Discussion.Participants were able to maintain a breast-feeding regimen for at least six months at rates equivalent to the statistical norms for women who are not employed outside the home. This was not an experimental study. Participants were self-selected and there was no control group. On a year-to-year basis, the numbers of participants were relatively small. Results should be corroborated in other companies using true experimental methods before generalizations are attempted.

Purpose.A comparison was made between breast-feeding and formula-feeding among employed mothers. Absenteeism directly related to child care was examined.Design.This quasi-experimental study followed convenience samples of breast-feeding and formula-feeding mothers until their infants were weaned or reached 1 year of age.Setting.Two corporations with established lactation programs were used. One had approximately 100 births annually among 2400 female employees, and the other had approximately 30 births annually among 1200 female employees.Subjects.A sample of 101 participants, 59 feeding breast milk and 42 using commercial formula, was composed of employees returning from maternity leave for a medically uncomplicated birth.Intervention.The programs provided counseling by a lactation professional for all participants and facilities to collect and store breast milk.Measures.Confidential participant diaries provided descriptive data on infant illnesses and related absenteeism that the lactation consultant verified with health care providers and through employer attendance records.Analysis.Attribute counts of illnesses and absenteeism were reported as percentages. Single degree of freedom χ2tests were used to compare rates between nutrition groups.Results.Approximately 28% of the infants in the study had no illnesses; 86% of these were breast-fed and 14% were formula-fed. When illnesses occurred, 25% of all 1-day maternal absences were among breast-fed babies and 75% were among the formula-fed group.Conclusions.In this study fewer and less severe infant illnesses and less maternal absenteeism was found in the breast-feeding group. This was not an experimental study. Participants were self-selected, and a comparison group was used rather than a true control group. Corroboration of these findings from larger experimental studies is needed to generalize beyond these groups.