Breastfeeding in the workplace
More and more women are returning to work within the first one or two years of their babies’ lives. Women who continue to breastfeed at this time provide important health benefits to the baby and themselves, and health and cost savings to employers and the community in general.
Many women want to continue breastfeeding when they return to work. It is unlawful to treat a woman differently from other employees because she needs to breastfeed or express milk. The Sex Discrimination Act was amended by the Sex Discrimination (Pregnancy at Work) Amendment Act 2003 to make clear that breastfeeding is a ground of unlawful sex discrimination under the Act.
Benefits for nursing mothers and employers
Supporting breastfeeding employees
Work and breastfeeding policy
Workplace provisions
Examples of breastfeeding provisions
Benefits for nursing mothers and employers
When a woman returns to work and is supported in her choice to continue to breastfeed her baby, she is able to maintain this important physical and emotional bond with her baby. Case studies by the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) show that many women report ‘feelings of personal satisfaction and pleasure in the commitment that they made to their baby and their job’.
Employers who recognise the needs of breastfeeding employees, and provide active support, are likely to gain improved relationships with their employees and increased productivity, based on the following:
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valued employees are more likely to return to the paid workforce, ensuring that the employer does not lose skilled and experienced staff;
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employees will have greater loyalty to and respect for their employer, enhancing morale and commitment; and
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absenteeism by parents to care for sick children will be reduced – breastfed babies are less likely to become ill and be excluded from child care.
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Supporting breastfeeding employees
Employers can support breastfeeding employees by:
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developing a work and breastfeeding policy statement to promote the organisation’s policy and workplace provisions to employees and managers; and
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introducing provisions and facilities which will make it easier for women to combine work and breastfeeding.
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Work and breastfeeding policy
Developing a policy statement supporting employees who wish to combine work and breastfeeding will help demonstrate the employer’s commitment to workplace provisions for breastfeeding.
The policy statement could be used to:
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reassure women that the employer is supportive of their attempts to combine work with successful breastfeeding;
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outline workplace provisions to enable women to maintain breastfeeding, eg lactation breaks; and
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Workplace provisions
Information
Employers can give employees information on a range of issues that might concern them before and after the birth of a child and on return to work, including specific arrangements and facilities to support breastfeeding on return to work. This information could be provided in a kit that can be given to women before they go on maternity leave.
Lactation breaks
Lactation breaks to express milk or breastfeed babies may be essential if a woman is to maintain her milk supply and her comfort during working hours. Otherwise her productivity and job satisfaction might be reduced.
Breaks need to be available on a flexible basis. They should involve minimum disruption to the workplace. Issues such as how an employee integrates lactation breaks into her day, whether the breaks are taken as paid or unpaid leave or time in lieu, and provision of staff relief will need to be negotiated by the employer and employee.
Facilities
These should include:
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a lockable area that is clean, hygienic and private;
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comfortable seating, access to facilities for washing hands and equipment, and a power point;
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adequate refrigeration and freezer space for storage of milk; and
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lockable storage facilities (cupboard, lockers, desk) for a breast pump and other equipment.
Many workplaces can provide these facilities at minimal cost.
Examples include purpose built parents’ rooms or, if space is limited, a designated space within an existing area such as a first aid or sick room. Two or more businesses might share a room.
Support from employer and colleagues
A supportive work environment for breastfeeding employees can be fostered by providing all employees with relevant information about policy and provisions for breastfeeding at work. Information can be disseminated in many ways, including through the staff newsletter or in-house training courses.
Flexible work options
The processes of settling a child into a care arrangement, learning to express and build a store of milk and making the transition are often unpredictable. Some flexibility in the timing of the return from maternity leave, or a gradual return to work can greatly help breastfeeding women.
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Examples of breastfeeding provisions
ABN AMRO provides a private space and equipment for mothers who have returned from maternity leave and who are breastfeeding.
The Working Women's Centre Tasmania provides employees with breastfeeding and lactation breaks, where nursing mothers are can have two lactation breaks during a 7 hour day period.
Sarah Lee Household and Body Care Australia (Pty Ltd) provides employees with a room for breast feeding/expressing and for care of children in emergencies.
The Australian Jockey Club provides a lockable room for nursing mothers to use for expressing milk.
The Queensland Department of Education and the Arts has developed a breastfeeding policy and also provides facitilies for breastfeeding mothers.
Lend Lease Corporation has introduced a range of initiatives to help its employees combine breastfeeding and work. Breastfeeding rooms are located at its Mulgrave workplace and one of its Sydney child care centres. NMAA representatives are invited regularly to address employees on breastfeeding issues. Concerns are identified through the company’s mothers’ groups.
Employees returning from parental leave have access to regular part-time work and home-based work. Lend Lease maintains a library of computer equipment to help breastfeeding employees telework if that is their preference.
Lend Lease also employs a nurse to provide advice and answer any queries that mothers returning to work might have, eg concerning diet, depression, infant death etc. This service is available through the child care centres.
For more work and family information, go to the work and family home page.
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