Breastfeeding Doesn’t Have to Be a Barrier
for Working Mothers or Employers

(Article originally published by WFC Resources, April 2004, as a Guest Column written by Carol Ann Friedman, RN, IBCLC, and director of LifeCare's breastfeeding program, Mothers at Work®)

Many new mothers want to breastfeed but lack support

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), human milk is the optimal form of nutrition for infants—and the AAP recommends breastfeeding a baby during the first 12 months of life. For many new mothers this makes their return to work following family leave especially difficult. Since many of them who want to continue breastfeeding do not have the necessary support at work to do so, it’s not uncommon for them to delay returning to work—or to leave the workforce altogether. Given the fact that women with children now represent the fastest growing segment of America’s workforce, this is an issue that employers cannot ignore—unless they want to risk losing valued female employees. Fortunately, there are several ways that employers can help working mothers return to their jobs after maternity leave without worrying about their decision to breastfeed.

Here’s what companies can do

Here are some of the most basic — and most essential — forms of support employers can offer to working mothers:

Lactation education (via educational materials, seminars, videos, etc.) from a trusted and reputable source on issues such as the benefits of breast-feeding; transitioning back to work; and trouble-shooting common challenges;

Access or referrals to certified lactation consultants who can provide ongoing counseling, coaching and guidance.

Access to a private room in the workplace where working mothers can express milk during the workday. If you do not have an opportunity to create a "Mother’s Room," designate a private unused office or room. Never suggest the restroom. In some states, there are laws to protect women from having to use the restroom for expressing milk.

Another way that employers are showing support is by providing employees with access to high quality breast pumps that enable them to efficiently pump milk during the day. Many proactive employers are also subsidizing all or a portion of pump costs to further encourage mothers to continue breastfeeding despite their return to work.

It is also important to note that even on limited budgets, employers can create supportive programs by establishing "lunch-and-learn" get-togethers for expectant and new mothers, or offering breastfeeding education information via an e-mail communications campaign or employee newsletters.

Making The Case For Workplace Support

The bottom-line is, new mothers will be more likely to return to work—and more productive when they do—if you have specific programs and practices in place to support them with their decision to continue breastfeeding. "If a mom chooses to or has to work, breastfeeding is also an incredible way to feel connected to your child during working hours," said a mother and a financial analyst in Silicon Valley. "Sometimes it’s difficult, but you look at your baby and see the progress he’s making and you say, ‘I did this, I’m nurturing this.’ It gives you feelings of elation and self-worth—positive emotions that you carry throughout the workday and help you to be more productive. You don’t have as much guilt over being separated during the workday from your baby."

Senior management, managers, may need to be educated

If your organization has yet to institute any form of workplace breastfeeding support due to a perceived lack of interest among employees, keep in mind that many women hesitate to ask their employer for time and a place to express milk, let alone for helpful resources on this issue. They feel making such requests are akin to asking for special treatment. Additionally, senior management is simply not always aware of the issues—and needs to be educated on the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and babies—as well as the benefits to the organization (such as associated cost savings in terms of reduced health care costs, reduced absenteeism, and increased retention). If your organization has not yet implemented breastfeeding initiatives, you may want to start by educating senior management on the benefits of breastfeeding and the options available to employers. For example, through LifeCare’s Mothers at Work program, HR professionals can learn how to go about setting up a Mothers Room, communicating with employees, coordinating employees’ return to work and more.

Once you have buy-in from senior management, you will also need to educate managers in your organization on the importance of supporting breastfeeding initiatives and how to support breastfeeding mothers.

Issues to be considered

Here are some of the issues to consider:

• Every employee who makes the commitment to breastfeed and return to work will need a degree of flexibility in order to breastfeed and/or pump during the workday.
• When coordinating employees’ return to work, remember that their needs will vary and will have to be addressed on an individual basis.
• Educate managers on how much time employees will need each day to pump their milk in the workplace.
• Offer flexible work schedules that allow them to do so. Generally, during the first three-to-six months, lactating mothers need to pump two-to-three times per day, during normal work hours to maintain an adequate milk supply for their baby. After six months, the time required gradually decreases to one-to-two times per day. Many moms eventually breastfeed mornings, before work, and evenings at home.
• Encourage working mothers to discuss their specific needs with their manager and/or HR. Some employees may feel uncomfortable discussing breastfeeding issues but if managers are educated about the issue, women will feel more confident and supported. (If managers cannot answer specific questions about breastfeeding, refer employees to a lactation consultant or other appropriate resources.)

Nationwide Support Underway

Supporting breastfeeding mothers in the workplace is not an issue to be taken lightly. In fact, several states have enacted legislation in recent years that requires employers to allow nursing women to express milk during break times and make reasonable efforts to provide a room (other than a toilet stall) where they can pump, in an effort to facilitate support for women who choose to breastfeed their babies. Additionally, this year the government plans to launch a national campaign that will bring greater attention to workplace issues surrounding breastfeeding.

More full-time working mothers start, but don’t continue

While breastfeeding initiation rates among full-time working mothers are similar to those of mothers who are employed part-time or not employed, breastfeeding duration rates of mothers who work full-time are much lower. This clearly demonstrates a correlation between maternal employment and the need for breastfeeding support in the workplace. While breastfeeding initiation rates may have been steadily increasing over the past 10 years—to their highest recorded levels—they still lag significantly behind duration rates.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) believes there are clear health benefits to breastfeeding—for baby and mother—and, consequently, the current low duration rates present a public health dilemma in this country.

Government is launching awareness campaign

To emphasize its position, the DHHS Office of Women’s Health is launching a three-year comprehensive media breastfeeding awareness campaign beginning in the first half of 2004. It will be implemented and promoted as a national level effort and marketed in partnership with strategically selected organizations. It also will employ state-of-the-art communication techniques through a variety of channels and strategies, such as public service announcements (television and radio), bus stop posters, articles in community newspapers, and educational pamphlets.

The overall goal of the campaign is to increase the proportion of mothers who breastfeed their babies in the early postpartum period to 75%, and those within six-months postpartum to 50% by the year 2010. The campaign aims to empower women to commit to breastfeeding and to clearly illustrate the consequences of not breastfeeding, including a higher likelihood for diabetes, weight problems, some childhood cancers, and other illnesses and conditions. Besides trying to raise initiation rates, the campaign will also stress the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for six-months.

With increased attention on the issue of breastfeeding, many new mothers will want their employers to be sensitive to their needs. In addition, male employees informed on the health benefits of breastfeeding will want support for their spouses or partners.

Many employers have been proactively offering breastfeeding support to their employees for some time, while others have been encouraged to do so by recent legislation. Chances are the impending national ad campaign will prompt these groups to step up their efforts in this regard and cause any remaining groups to adopt the employee benefit service. But the issue is not when you’ve "arrived at the party," it’s that we all finally recognize the importance of helping new mothers follow-through on their decision to breastfeed.

More Good News

Help is available—for employees and employers! Workplace breastfeeding programs offer one of the most valuable forms of assistance to new mothers and their babies, while providing employers with a means for lowering health care costs and absentee rates, facilitating an employee’s return to work and increasing her productivity, and enhancing employee recruitment and retention efforts.