Discussion
We identified no randomised controlled trials or quasi-randomised controlled trials that compared the effects of workplace intervention on initiation, continuation, duration or exclusiveness of breastfeeding among employed women returning to work after giving birth. Likewise, the impact of such intervention on outcomes related to mothers, infants or employers, are unknown.
This systematic review has some potential limitations. First, we excluded workplace interventions during pregnancy and focused only on interventions postdelivery. Second, we only searched for published trials and did not attempt to identify or search for unpublished or ongoing trials. However, the strengths of this review have to be highlighted: first, our search was comprehensive and included several social science databases; second, we applied no language restrictions; third, we planned to consider both randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials for inclusion.
There are several questions to be answered regarding workplace interventions for promoting breastfeeding in employed women returning to work after delivery. Explicitly, the type of intervention most effective in assisting women to continue breastfeeding their babies until six months of age, as recommended by the WHO.
In conclusion, supporting and promoting breastfeeding in the workplace carries a range of benefits to working mothers, and to their infants and employers as well. There is a need for methodologically rigorous randomised controlled trials to provide evidence on the relative benefits of workplace interventions to promote breastfeeding for mothers returning to work after the birth of a child.