The effect of decreasing maternity leave on breast-feeding patterns.

An Army hospital decreased maternity leave for its female soldiers from 42 days to 30 days. For the 12 months preceding the change, 42% of the soldiers chose to breast feed. For the 12 months after the change in maternity leave, 41% of the soldiers chose to breast feed. The decrease in leave had no effect on the duration of breast feeding. Most soldiers before and after the change weaned by the time their infants were two months old.