Female employees' perception of breastfeeding-friendly support in a public university in Spain.

OBJECTIVE

To explore women's experience with continuing breastfeeding when they returned to work.

DESIGN AND SAMPLE

A cross-sectional study was conducted. Participants were female employees at the University of Seville who gave birth in the last 10 years while working at University.

MEASURES

A questionnaire in Spanish was used to collect information on sociodemographic variables, employment characteristics, continued breastfeeding behavior after returning to work and the dimensions of the validated scale the Workplace Breastfeeding Support Scale (WBSS).

RESULTS

A total of 197 women responded, consisting of 53.8% faculty and 46.2% administrative staff. Almost all the women had breastfed their children (92.9%). The proportion of women who continued to breastfeed after they returned to work was 51.3%. The main reason given for interrupting lactation was the challenge of reconciling family and work (53.1%). Faculty members took more breaks for breastfeeding (p = 0.002) and were able to arrange their breaks more easily (p < 0.001). Since it was easier for them to find a quiet place to pump breast milk (p = 0.025), they were more likely to continue breastfeeding after returning to work than were administrative staff (59.8% vs. 41.1%, p < 0.009).

CONCLUSION

A designated lactation space and amenities should be provided in order to extend the duration of breastfeeding.