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Paid Family Leave and Breastfeeding: Evidence from California

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  • Jessica E. Pac
  • Ann P. Bartel
  • Christopher J. Ruhm
  • Jane Waldfogel

Abstract

This paper evaluates the effect of Paid Family Leave (PFL) on breastfeeding, which we identify using California’s enactment of a 2004 PFL policy that ensured mothers up to six weeks of leave at a 55 percent wage replacement rate. We employ synthetic control models for a large, representative sample of over 270,000 children born between 2000 and 2012 drawn from the restricted-use versions of the 2003 – 2014 National Immunization Surveys. Our estimates indicate that PFL increases the overall duration of breastfeeding by nearly 18 days, and the likelihood of breastfeeding for at least six months by 5 percentage points. We find substantially larger effects of PFL on breastfeeding duration for some disadvantaged mothers.

Suggested Citation

  • Jessica E. Pac & Ann P. Bartel & Christopher J. Ruhm & Jane Waldfogel, 2019. "Paid Family Leave and Breastfeeding: Evidence from California," NBER Working Papers 25784, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:25784
    Note: CH EH LS PE
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    Cited by:

    1. Martha J. Bailey & Tanya S. Byker & Elena Patel & Shanthi Ramnath, 2019. "The Long-Run Effects of California’s Paid Family Leave Act on Women’s Careers and Childbearing: New Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design and U.S. Tax Data," NBER Working Papers 26416, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Martha Bailey & Tanya Byker & Elena Patel & Shanthi Ramnath & Martha J. Bailey, 2024. "The Long-Run Effects of California’s Paid Family Leave Act on Women’s Careers and Childbearing: New Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design and U.S. Tax Data," CESifo Working Paper Series 10933, CESifo.
    3. Bailey, Martha J. & Byker, Tanya & Patel, Elena & Ramnath, Shanthi, 2019. "The Long-Term Effects of California’s 2004 Paid Family Leave Act on Women’s Careers: Evidence from U.S. Tax Data," CEPR Discussion Papers 14217, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Khan, Mariam S., 2020. "Paid family leave and children health outcomes in OECD countries," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    5. Chatterji, Pinka & Nguyen, Trang & Ncube, Butho & Dennison, Barbara A., 2022. "Effects of New York state paid family leave on early immunizations," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).
    6. Lebihan, Laetitia & Mao Takongmo, Charles Olivier, 2023. "The effect of paid parental leave on breastfeeding, parental health and behavior," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    7. Bailey, Martha J. & Byker, Tanya & Patel, Elena & Ramnath, Shanthi, 2024. "The Long-Run Effects of California's Paid Family Leave Act On Women's Careers and Childbearing: New Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design and U.S. Tax Data," IZA Discussion Papers 16756, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Feng Chen, 2023. "Does paid family leave save infant lives? Evidence from California's paid family leave program," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 41(2), pages 319-337, April.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy

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