Unconditional Cash and Breastfeeding, Child Care, and Maternal Employment among Families with Young Children Residing in Poverty

2024/05/22 by Laura Stilwell, Maritza Morales-Gracia, Katherine Magnuson +6 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Health Professions · Medicine · Social Sciences · #Breastfeeding Practices and Influences #Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations #Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare

paper · doi:10.1086/729364

openalex publication_date 2024/05/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30

Abstract

Poverty interferes with parents' breastfeeding, child-care, and employment options and ability to meet their parenting goals. This study-the first randomized controlled trial of early childhood poverty reduction in the United States-investigates how increased economic resources affect 1,000 low-income US mothers' breastfeeding, child-care, and employment practices and the ability to meet their intentions for these practices in the first year of their infant's life. The likelihood and length of breastfeeding, use of nonparental child care, and maternal employment did not statistically differ among mothers who received a high (333) or low (20) monthly unconditional cash gift. The higher monthly cash gift, however, delayed the starting age of child care by almost 1 month and increased mothers' ability to meet their breastfeeding intentions reported at birth.

Citations

• Unpredictable Work Timing in Retail Jobs

Cited by

• Social Determinants of Health, the developing brain, and risk and resilience for psychopathology

Discussions

• 📄 New #publication in @socservreview.bsky.social from CDE affiliates Katherine Magnuson, Sarah Halpern-Meekin & colleagues ➡️"Unconditional Cash and Breastfeeding, Child Care, and Maternal Employmen [bsky, 2 points, 0 comments]

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