For many mums, going back to work poses a few hurdles to continued breastfeeding.
Workplace policies affecting the ability to breastfeed is the topic of a special article in The Nurse Practitioner. The author, paediatric nurse Rhonda Winegar, says that her personal experiences led her to advocate for policies to support breastfeeding in the workplace,
“Breastfeeding yields many important benefits to both mum and baby, but workplace barriers contribute to low rates of continued breastfeeding.”
Breastfeeding is widely recommended as the best nutrition for babies, providing health benefits for infants and mums alike. Rhonda is quick to pint out that measures to encourage breastfeeding also have the potential to lower healthcare costs,
“Society in general benefits from mothers and infants who are healthier.”
Rhonda Winegar and her colleague Alisha Johnson say that employer policies can have a major impact on women’s ability to continue breastfeeding after they return to work. One study found that women who work at companies with policies to support breastfeeding are more likely to continue breastfeeding for at least six months, as recommended by current guidelines.
The two nurse practitioners advise that the key elements of a successful workplace breastfeeding policy include:
- Providing appropriate breaks for women who wish to express milk
- Providing a suitable area for women to pump breast milk
- Providing a storage facility for expressed milk (such as a fridge), if requested
There is good news for employers too as the costs of such policies are relatively low and are likely to be offset by the potential savings from fewer employee absences, lower healthcare costs, and less employee turnover.
Rhonda Winegar and Alisha Johnson advise that breastfeeding mums returning to work should consider discussing any concerns they may haven (such as milk leakage on work clothes) with a lactation consultant.
Breastfeeding and Irish employment law
Under Irish law women in employment who are breastfeeding are entitled to take time off work each day in order to breastfeed. This applies to all women in employment who have given birth within the previous six months. However, despite Winegar and Johnson’s arguments to the contrary, Irish law states that employers are not obliged to provide facilities in the workplace to facilitate breastfeeding if this would “give rise to considerable costs.”
So, legally-speaking, breastfeeding mums can opt to either:
- Breastfeed in the workplace or express breast milk, where facilities are provided in the workplace by the employer
or
- Have their working hours reduced (without loss of pay) to facilitate breastfeeding where facilities are not made available.
Women who are in employment and are breastfeeding are entitled to take one hour (paid) off work each day as a breastfeeding break. This time may be taken as:
- One 60 minute break
- Two 30 minute breaks
- Three 20 minute breaks
Breaks can be longer and more frequent if agreed with the employer. Part-time workers are also entitled to breastfeeding breaks, but this is calculated on a pro-rata basis.
You can find more information on breastfeeding and work here.
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