The Effect of Paid Parental Leave on Breastfeeding, Parental Health and Behavior

LEBIHAN, Laetitia and MAO TAKONGMO, Charles Olivier (2019): The Effect of Paid Parental Leave on Breastfeeding, Parental Health and Behavior.

Abstract

Little is known about the effects of paid parental leave (in particular fathers' quotas) on parental health and involvement. In this paper, we exploit a reform that took place in the Canadian province of Quebec to address that important topic. In 2006, Quebec opted out of the federal plan and established its own parental insurance plan, named the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP). This program has lowered the eligibility criteria, increased income replacement and introduced fathers' quotas. Using three data sets, we investigate the impact of the QPIP on breastfeeding and parental health and behavior. Our results show that the reform increased breastfeeding duration and parental involvement. Results also suggest that the policy had limited positive effects on parental health.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Parental leave; family health; breastfeeding; parental behavior.
• Subjects: I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I12 - Health Behavior; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I18 - Government Policy ; Regulation ; Public Health; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I3 - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty > I30 - General; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J18 - Public Policy

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