(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A new study finds breastfeeding isn't just about Mom.
Data indicates the U.S. lags behind other high-income countries in providing paid parental leave.
Dr. John James Parker is a professor of pediatrics and medicine at Northwestern University and a pediatrician at Lurie Children's Hospital. He says paternity leave benefits the family.
“Men and women, all individuals come back more rested and ready to get back to work, and more productive when they come back.”
A study found only 13% of U.S. employers offer paid paternity leave to their male employees.
New research indicates that new mothers breastfeed longer when the baby's father takes at least weeks of leave after the birth.
The findings provide the first analysis of the influence of paternity leave on breastfeeding in the U.S.
“A lot of states have caught on to friends or dads and are excited about adding dads into the survey. So we now have collected over 7,000 surveys of fathers across the nation, and the number of states that are participating continues to increase.”
Currently, 13 states and Washington, D.C. have passed paid family leave laws, although only nine states have fully implemented them.
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