Breastfeeding Employees

Support Breastfeeding Employees and See Benefits

You may be wondering how a supportive work environment for breastfeeding employees benefits your company. There are several good reasons that offering employees a place and time to pump is a smart business move. The American Academy of Pediatrics names breast milk as the preferred food for infants under 12 months. And more than half of mothers in the U.S. with children under 12 months old work outside the home. Babies who have been breast fed have fewer respiratory and ear infections and less incidence of diabetes, among other benefits. Women who breastfeed have a lower incidence of certain cancers like breast, ovarian and uterine cancers, an easier time losing weight after pregnancy, and those with diabetes have improved glucose metabolism. The bottom line is that breastfeeding is healthier for both mothers and babies.

Creating a supportive environment for pumping breast milk means less missed work, fewer insurance claims for sick visits and hospitalizations for babies, and decreased employee turnover as women are more likely to return to work after maternity leave if their employer supports breastfeeding.

Setting up a location for pumping isn't as hard as it seems, nor is the time a woman needs as long as you may think. The average woman should need to pump three times a day so a 15-minute break in the morning and afternoon, as well as lunch hour should be sufficient. Here are two easy steps to get started.

First, communicate to your employees that your business supports breastfeeding mothers and the reasons why.
Decide on a time and place to allow a woman the privacy to pump. A minimal facility would include a room with a locking door, an electrical outlet and a comfortable chair with arms. A public restroom is not a satisfactory place to pump due to sanitation concerns and a lack of privacy.

For more information on how to support breastfeeding employees, visit usbreastfeeding.org or call Joni Lisenbee, Coordinator for Mission Hospital's Lactation Center at 828-213-1103. Your company will benefit on many levels, including the opportunity to be viewed as family-friendly.