Effects of mother"s income generation on children"s nutritional status and school enrollment in rural and urban Guatemala

Impacts on breastfeeding patterns, use of a feeding program, time use, and older children"s school enrollment were also explored. In rural areas, the percentage of mothers working ranged from 6% of mothers of infants to 13% of mothers of 4-year-olds; in peri- urban areas, the range was from 12%-25%. Among women with school-aged children, 50%-55% of mothers worked. Following are the major conclusions. (1) For children under one year old, mothers" work was sometimes negatively related to nutritional status, i.e., for infants of urban domestic workers and rural workers of long hours. (2) Women"s work for earnings was positively associated with children"s weight for age after infancy; this effect was stronger in urban areas. (3) Duration of breastfeeding was unrelated to mothers" work in rural areas; in urban villages, breastfeeding duration was shorter (though generally at least 4-6 months), but without adverse impacts. (4) Rural working mothers were more likely to get help with child care. (5) In some villages, measures of women"s current ability levels (modernity, literacy, and vocabulary) were more positively associated with children"s welfare than were past achievements (level of schooling or history of employment). (6) Mothers" work status did not influence school enrollment of daughters aged 7- 14. Policy implications are discussed.