Study says fathers have work flexibility with baby moms health improves

Study says fathers have work flexibility with baby moms health improvesStudy says fathers have work flexibility with baby moms health improvesGiving fathers work flexibility in the months right after childbirth reduces the risk of the mother having physical postpartum health complications, and improves her mental well-being, according to anew study by Stanford economists released by the National Bureau of Economic Research.Without dad flexibility, mothers bear the load alone.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreOur study underscores that the fathers presence in the household shortly after childbirth can have important consequences for the new mothers physical and mental health, said Petra Persson, PhD and faculty fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, in a release.The dataset was based on administrative data based on leave practices in Sweden, following a refo rm that increased workplace flexibility for new fathers. Starting in 2012, both parents were allowed to use their full-time leave benefits simultaneously for up to 30 additional days for the childs first year.The results were marked. Researchers found that mothers with husbands that have flexibility from work are14% less likely to need a specialist or be admitted to a hospital for childbirth-related complications.11% less likely to need antibiotics in the first six months after giving birth.26% less likely to use anti-anxiety prescription drugs, showing that maternal postpartum mental well-being had increased.The key here is that families are granted the flexibility to decide, on a day-to-day basis, when exactly to have the dad stay home, said Persson. If, for example, the mom gets early symptoms of mastitis while breastfeeding, the dad can take one or two days off work so that the mom can rest, which may avoid complications from the infection or the need for antibiotics.Interesting ly, the study found that the average new father used only a couple days of his allotted 30, showing that a little support goes a long way.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people