Working Mothers Can Breastfeed
Fewer Women Working Outside of the Home Continue to Breastfeed
Despite the legal right to do so, many nursing mothers employed outside of the home do not continue breastfeeding their infants upon return to work.
Breastfeeding and working outside of the home are not concepts that easily go hand in hand. Mom is in one place, baby in another, but just because a mother is going back to work – either full time or on a part time basis – does not mean she has to stop breastfeeding. However, the percentage of working mothers who continue to breastfeed their children is much lower than those who are not employed outside of the home.
Current Breastfeeding Statistics
According to a recently-released poll by National Women’s Health Resources, approximately one-third of working mothers continue to breastfeed their children at 6 months, in comparison to 42 percent of women at home. The percentage of women who work outside of the home and still breastfeed differs by age and the type of employment in which they engage with retail being lower than professional environments. These numbers are significantly lower than the Healthy People 2010 goal of 50 percent of women still breastfeeding their infants at 6 months of age and 25 percent at one year.
The increased stressors of outside employment account for lower durations of breastfeeding. Reasons women cite for ceasing breastfeeding their infants after returning to work outside of the home include employer discouragement for the time and privacy to pump, difficulty storing and transporting milk, low milk supply, and personal exhaustion.
Improving Working Mother's Opportunities to Breastfeed
According to United States Breastfeeding Committee data, companies with an employee lactation support program experience less turnover, lower losses of skilled workers after childbirth, and lower rates of absenteeism for sick children. As more and more employers realize that allowing and encouraging women to pump at work has “family friendly” connotations and work-life balance benefits, business are increasingly making accommodations. For example, large companies such as Pfizer and IBM have dedicated lactation rooms. While many women are not fortunate enough to work in this environment, ideally they can still have a private space with an electrical outlet, a sink to rinse off the breast pump parts, and the job flexibility to pump as often as necessary.
The good news is that according to NIH statistics, since education campaigns at both the governmental and individual level have been introduced, the number of mothers who continue to breastfeed their babies at 6 months has gone up approximately 6 percent in 5 years. Thirty-two states have laws protecting public breastfeeding, while eleven states currently have proactive legislation regarding breastfeeding at work, most of which revolve around the availability of time and private space, and many others have pending legislation.
The support of direct supervisors is as important as company policy, and this sometimes requires education about a mother’s rights. Discussing the plan to continue breastfeeding upfront is important, conferring with Human Resources about policies, bringing information from La Leche League, or providing a personalized timeline and plan for when and where pumping needs to take place are all methods for women to negotiate with employers.
Like anything else, creating a feasible situation for pumping at work takes some effort, a lot of patience and support, and a little creativity, but it is a rewarding long-term decision for mothers, their babies, and companies as well.
