When fathers take paternity leave, their infants are breastfed longer, a new study shows.
Fathers who took two or more weeks of leave after the birth of an infant were 31% more likely to say their infants were being breastfed at 8 weeks old compared to fathers who took less time off, the study found. Of the 240 employed fathers in the study, 172 reported taking some form of leave, including 120 who took at least some paid leave.
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"Our study shows fathers play a key role in breastfeeding success — and time off lets them provide crucial support when it matters most, said Dr. John James Parker, the study's lead author and an assistant professor of pediatrics and medicine at Northwestern University's medical school.
Breastfeeding helps babies develop strong immune systems and lowers the risk of some diseases, such as bacterial meningitis, asthma and obesity, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, collected from 2014 to 2021, shows that 46.5% of infants were exclusively breastfed through three months.
"Fathers can support breastfeeding by taking on hands-on baby care — changing diapers, burping, rocking and feeding expressed milk — while also ensuring mothers get the nutrition, hydration and rest they need to recover," Parker said. "All these father-supportive activities are easier when fathers have more generous leave."
A 2022 study found that only 23% of civilian workers in the United States can get paid family leave, and only 13% of employers offered paid paternity leave to every male employee. Access to paid family and medical leave is lowest for the groups that need it the most. Access skews toward adults with college degrees and higher pay, with Black and Latino people having less access than white people, according to a 2021 study from the Urban Institute.
Accordingly, the study published this week in BMC Public Health found that white fathers were more likely to report taking paid leave than fathers from other ethnic and racial groups.
"These disparities highlight challenges for families and underscore the need for more research," Parker said. "We hope our study helps policymakers — and how that impacts family health."
