BACKGROUND:
Swiss law regulates financial compensation of breast-feeding at the workplace. The national infant feeding survey 2024investigated the impact of the law on breastfeeding (BF) and BF duration.

METHODS:
A random sample of 4040 mothers (infant age 3-12 months) were invited to an online survey on various infant feeding topics and a 24h-feeding recall. Survival time and regression analysis was applied to estimate BF duration and influencing factors in working / non-working mothers.

RESULTS:
Participation rate was 34% (N= 1269), infants’ mean age 7.4 months (sd 3.1), maternal age 33.8 yrs. (sd 4.1). 605 participants worked at the time of the survey (51%), of which 16% were breastfeeding and 53% expressed milk at work. 74% got the full BF break paid, 3% half the time and 10% were not compensated at all. 56% had a suitable room to breastfeed/express milk and 84% could refrigerate the milk. 27% were informed by their employer on rights as breast feeding employee, 66% had informed themselves, 7% did not know about their rights. 75% working mothers (N= 605) stopped full BF by the 22nd week, non-working mothers at 26th “Uncomfortable with BF/expressing milk at work” (Hazard Ratio (HR) 2.95, Confidence Interval (CI)), “No BF-room available” (HR 1.47 , CI 1.06-2.05), and “working percentage” (HR 1.01, CI 1.01-1.02) were statistically significantly associated with shorter BF duration. Most frequently cited reasons for weaning were “not enough milk” (47%), “not conciliable with work” (29%) and “child did not want to breastfeed” (25%).

CONCLUSIONS:
Starting to work is significantly associated with shorter full BF duration, albeit laws on financial compensation of BF time at the workplace. There remains a considerable group of women not fully informed about their rights. Improving communication of employees’ rights and culture of BF at the workplace might further increase BF among working mothers.