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Almost two thirds of employed first-time mothers in the U.S. return to work within 3 months of giving birth. In a prospective cohort study, investigators interviewed 817 women at 5 and 11 weeks after childbirth to determine the effects on their health of breast-feeding, social support at home and work, job stress, and the timing of return to work.
Childbirth-related symptoms (e.g., fatigue, headache, breast discomfort) declined from an average of 6.2 to 4.1 reported at 5 and 11 weeks postpartum, respectively. Fatigue was the most common symptom: Half of women at 5 weeks postpartum “never or rarely” felt refreshed upon awakening in the morning, whereas almost one third of women still felt similarly fatigued at 11 weeks. Breast-feeding decline…