The relationship between maternal work patterns and infant feeding practices in Jamaican female headed households

Findings from a one‐year longitudinal study of 109 Jamaican women and their infants are reported. The study was designed to examine the relationship between maternal work patterns and infant feeding practices during the infants’ first year. All women had at least one other preschool child, and identified themselves as having primary responsibility for economic maintenance of their household. The majority of women worked outside the home for income during at least part of the study period. However, infant feeding practices were found to be remarkably similar between employed and non‐employed mothers. Mixed feeding was initiated early, but over half of all infants were still being breastfed at the end of the year, and longer duration of breastfeeding was protective against growth faltering. The main risk factors for growth faltering were lack of steady employment, a large number of dependent children and a lack of other sources of maternal support.

Key words:

• Women's work
• infant feeding
• infant growth
• social support
• child care
• breastfeeding
• supplementary foods
• Jamaica

Notes

Corresponding author.