This preprint is under consideration at International Breastfeeding Journal. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
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Employers' perception of breastfeeding practice of employed mothers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a qualitative study
Firmaye Bogale Wolde
Ethiopian Public Health Institute
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2987-8872
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: The universal importance of breastfeeding and human milk are demonstrated by different researches but despite the importance only 37% of children are exclusively breastfed worldwide. Women employment is one way of ensuring women's empowerment but it is also one of the commonly mentioned factors contributing for the low prevalence of breastfeeding. Hence, there needs to be a conducive work environment that accommodates maternal needs not to fall back from empowerment and to improve breastfeeding practice. There are not many studies that focus on work environment in relation with employers’ experience and their perception of breastfeeding of employed mothers. Therefore this study aims to explore employers’ experience and perception of employed mothers’ breastfeeding experience in different working environments in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: A descriptive phenomenology strategy was employed in this study and purposive sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. Data was collected from 10 employers from private, governmental and non-governmental institutions through an in-depth interview. Thematic data analysis was performed where collected data was organized, coded and categorized into themes to give meaningful contributions to answering the research questions.
Results: Understanding breastfeeding, current maternity leave, perception of breastfeeding supporting conditions and mother-friendly work environment were the themes generated after analysis. Almost all employers in this study recognized the importance of breastfeeding despite the different work environments they worked in and they also acknowledged the importance of making working environment mother-friendly for stability and motivation of employed mothers.
Conclusions: Providing mothers with a friendly environment is understood as a positive thing by employers. The current maternity leave of three months has low acceptance and both onsite child care center and six-month maternity leave are believed to help in creating a mother-friendly work environment despite their pros and cons.
Keywords
Employer, Breastfeeding, Work environment, Mother-friendly, Employed mothers
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Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 2
Posted 14 May, 2020
No community comments so far
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 22 Jun, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 22 Jun, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 22 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 22 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 28 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 27 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 27 Apr, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 28 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 07 Feb, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 07 Feb, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 05 Feb, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 04 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 04 Feb, 2020
Editor assigned
On 30 Jan, 2020
First submitted
On 29 Jan, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 29 Jan, 2020
Editor invited
On 29 Jan, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Sexual & Reproductive Medicine
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This preprint is under consideration at International Breastfeeding Journal. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
Employers' perception of breastfeeding practice of employed mothers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a qualitative study
Firmaye Bogale Wolde
Ethiopian Public Health Institute
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2987-8872
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 2
Posted 14 May, 2020
No community comments so far
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 22 Jun, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 22 Jun, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 22 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 22 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 28 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 27 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 27 Apr, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 28 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 07 Feb, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 07 Feb, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 05 Feb, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 04 Feb, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 04 Feb, 2020
Editor assigned
On 30 Jan, 2020
First submitted
On 29 Jan, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 29 Jan, 2020
Editor invited
On 29 Jan, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Sexual & Reproductive Medicine
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: The universal importance of breastfeeding and human milk are demonstrated by different researches but despite the importance only 37% of children are exclusively breastfed worldwide. Women employment is one way of ensuring women's empowerment but it is also one of the commonly mentioned factors contributing for the low prevalence of breastfeeding. Hence, there needs to be a conducive work environment that accommodates maternal needs not to fall back from empowerment and to improve breastfeeding practice. There are not many studies that focus on work environment in relation with employers’ experience and their perception of breastfeeding of employed mothers. Therefore this study aims to explore employers’ experience and perception of employed mothers’ breastfeeding experience in different working environments in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: A descriptive phenomenology strategy was employed in this study and purposive sampling technique was used to recruit study participants. Data was collected from 10 employers from private, governmental and non-governmental institutions through an in-depth interview. Thematic data analysis was performed where collected data was organized, coded and categorized into themes to give meaningful contributions to answering the research questions.
Results: Understanding breastfeeding, current maternity leave, perception of breastfeeding supporting conditions and mother-friendly work environment were the themes generated after analysis. Almost all employers in this study recognized the importance of breastfeeding despite the different work environments they worked in and they also acknowledged the importance of making working environment mother-friendly for stability and motivation of employed mothers.
Conclusions: Providing mothers with a friendly environment is understood as a positive thing by employers. The current maternity leave of three months has low acceptance and both onsite child care center and six-month maternity leave are believed to help in creating a mother-friendly work environment despite their pros and cons.