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Paid Maternity Leave and Breastfeeding in Urban China

Author

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  • Nan Jia
  • Xiao-yuan Dong
  • Yue-ping Song

Abstract

Using data from the 2010 Survey on Chinese Women's Social Status, this contribution estimates the effect of paid maternity leave on breastfeeding duration in urban China during the 1988–2008 period. The analysis applies a policy-based identification strategy to control for the endogenous relationship between paid leave entitlements and breastfeeding decisions. Estimates show that paid maternity leave has a strong positive effect on breastfeeding duration. Specifically, if the length of paid leave increases by thirty days, then the probability of breastfeeding for at least six months increases by 12 percentage points. Between 1988 and 2008, the average length of paid leave for mothers without a college education decreased by twenty-three days, which reduced these mothers’ probability of breastfeeding for at least six months by 9 percentage points. These results support the view that paid maternity leave enhances the ability of employed women to sustain breastfeeding and call for universal paid leave entitlements.

Suggested Citation

  • Nan Jia & Xiao-yuan Dong & Yue-ping Song, 2018. "Paid Maternity Leave and Breastfeeding in Urban China," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(2), pages 31-53, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:femeco:v:24:y:2018:i:2:p:31-53
    DOI: 10.1080/13545701.2017.1380309
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaotian Zhang & Xiaoyun Liu & Yang Wang & Lulin Zhou & Xiaoran Cheng, 2022. "Sustainable Development of China’s Maternity Insurance System in the Context of Population Policy Changes: Using a Grounded Theory Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-19, February.
    2. Yermek Buribayev & Elina Kim & Elmira Kenzhibekova & Malik Shaigaliyev, 2021. "The role of international standards in improving labour law of the Republic of Kazakhstan to ensure the well-being of society," RIVISTA DI STUDI SULLA SOSTENIBILITA', FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 0(2), pages 33-47.
    3. Jing Zhang & Simon Appleton & Lina Song & Bing Liu, 2021. "Who Looks after the Kids? The Effects of Childcare Choice on Early Childhood Development in China," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 83(3), pages 619-640, June.
    4. Zhao, Xinhui & Yang, Juan, 2022. "Longer breastfeeding duration, better child development? Evidence from a large-scale survey in China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    5. Regmi, Krishna & Wang, Le, 2022. "Maternity Leave," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1184, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

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