TIME AS A RESOURCE: PAID AND UNPAID WORKLOAD AND MOTHER'S OWN MILK PROVISION AMONG MOTHERS OF PRETERM INFANTS
Author(s)
Tricia J. Johnson, MS, PhD1, Leslie Harris, MD, MHS2, Jane Oh, BS2, Aloka Patel, MD3.
1Professor, Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA, 2Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA, 3Pediatrics, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
1Professor, Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA, 2Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA, 3Pediatrics, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
OBJECTIVES: Mothers of preterm (PT; <37 weeks gestational age) infants who require NICU hospitalization balance many responsibilities in the postpartum (PP) period that may impact decisions about infant feeding and their own health. Our objective was to characterize how mothers of PT infants spend their time in the first 6 PP months (M) and examine how total (paid+unpaid) workload is associated with mother’s own milk (MOM) provision.
METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 45 mothers of PT infants at an urban NICU. Mothers reported detailed information about time spent on paid work, unpaid work (e.g., childcare, infant feeding, household chores), and other activities in a typical 24-hour period for the first 6 PPM and infant feeding during this time. We compared maternal time use and MOM provision across PPM by monthly working status using generalized estimating equations.
RESULTS: Average total workload increased from 603 min/day in PPM1 to 667 min/day in PPM6. For mothers who never returned to work, total workload remained relatively similar between PPM1 and PPM6 (588 and 584 min/day, respectively), while it increased from 619 to 728 min/day between PPM1 and PPM6 for mothers who returned to work. Working in a given month was associated with 96 additional min/day in total workload (95% CI 20 to 172) and 28.7 percentage-point lower probability of providing MOM compared with non-working months (95% CI −46.0 to −11.4).
CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of mothers of PT infants, total daily workload increased over time, driven by mothers who returned to paid work. Each working month was associated with markedly greater daily workload and lower probability of providing MOM. These preliminary findings suggest that the competing time demand of paid work may be an important barrier to sustained MOM provision and warrant larger study to confirm the association and inform workplace and policy interventions.
METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 45 mothers of PT infants at an urban NICU. Mothers reported detailed information about time spent on paid work, unpaid work (e.g., childcare, infant feeding, household chores), and other activities in a typical 24-hour period for the first 6 PPM and infant feeding during this time. We compared maternal time use and MOM provision across PPM by monthly working status using generalized estimating equations.
RESULTS: Average total workload increased from 603 min/day in PPM1 to 667 min/day in PPM6. For mothers who never returned to work, total workload remained relatively similar between PPM1 and PPM6 (588 and 584 min/day, respectively), while it increased from 619 to 728 min/day between PPM1 and PPM6 for mothers who returned to work. Working in a given month was associated with 96 additional min/day in total workload (95% CI 20 to 172) and 28.7 percentage-point lower probability of providing MOM compared with non-working months (95% CI −46.0 to −11.4).
CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of mothers of PT infants, total daily workload increased over time, driven by mothers who returned to paid work. Each working month was associated with markedly greater daily workload and lower probability of providing MOM. These preliminary findings suggest that the competing time demand of paid work may be an important barrier to sustained MOM provision and warrant larger study to confirm the association and inform workplace and policy interventions.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
PCR191
Topic
Clinical Outcomes, Epidemiology & Public Health, Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Patient Behavior and Incentives, Patient-reported Outcomes & Quality of Life Outcomes
Disease
No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas, Nutrition, Pediatrics