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When dads take leave, moms breastfeed longer

Despite the proven health benefits, breastfeeding rates in the U.S. remain suboptimal
February 26, 2025 | By Ben Schamisso
close-up of baby breastfeeding
Fathers who take leave after their child’s birth are more likely to report longer breastfeeding duration, according to a recent survey led by Northwestern University and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Getty Images

Fathers who take at least two weeks of leave after their child’s birth are significantly more likely to report longer breastfeeding duration, according to a recent survey led by scientists at Northwestern University and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

“Our study shows fathers play a key role in breastfeeding success — and time off lets them provide crucial support when it matters most,” said lead study author Dr. John James Parker, an assistant professor of pediatrics and medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, pediatrician at Lurie Children’s and internist at Northwestern Medicine.

Why it matters

The findings, published this week in BMC Public Health, provide the first analysis, using father-reported data, of the influence of paternity leave on breastfeeding in the U.S. Breastfeeding provides important health benefits for both mothers and infants, yet rates in the U.S. remain suboptimal. Only 46.5% of infants are exclusively breastfed through three months.

Digging into the data

Using data from the PRAMS for Dads survey, scientists analyzed answers from a representative sample of 240 employed fathers in the state of Georgia.

They found that fathers who took two or more weeks of leave were 31% more likely to report their infant being breastfed at eight weeks compared to those who took less than two weeks.

Among families who started breastfeeding, those where dads took at least two weeks of leave had a 25% higher rate of continued breastfeeding at eight weeks than those where dads took less time off.
This was true even after adjusting for paternal, maternal and infant characteristics.

“Fathers can support breastfeeding by taking on hands-on baby care — changing diapers, burping, rocking and feeding expressed milk — while also ensuring mothers get the nutrition, hydration and rest they need to recover,” Parker said. “All these father-supportive activities are easier when fathers have more generous leave.”

The study also found disparities in paid leave access, with white fathers more likely to receive paid leave than fathers from other racial and ethnic groups. In total, 73% of employed fathers in the sample reported taking leave, with slightly over 50% receiving some paid leave. Fathers who took paid leave were more likely to take at least two weeks off.

Lead study author Dr. John James Parker, a father of three, says his own experience around his children’s births inspired his research. Photo courtesy John James Parker

‘No one talked about involving dads’

Parker, a father of three, says his own experience around his children’s births inspired his research. “When I became a father, I realized how absent dads were from the conversation,” he said. “In medical training, no one talked about involving dads or why that mattered.

A turning point came when his pediatrician gave him tips on supporting his wife with breastfeeding. “It made me feel part of the team,” he said. “Now, I do the same for the dads I work with.”

Paternity leave in the U.S.

The U.S. lags behind other high-income countries in providing paid parental leave. A 2022 study found only 13% of employers offer paid paternity leave to all their male employees, and most fathers who get paid leave take only one week or less.

Thirteen states and Washington, D.C., have passed paid family leave laws, though only nine states have fully implemented them.

“These disparities highlight challenges for families and underscore the need for more research,” Parker said. “We hope our study helps policymakers — and how that impacts family health.”

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