Nursing at Work

By Caroline Cox

Transitioning from maternity leave to being back at work takes adjusting – especially when discovering a new level of sleep-deprivation and trying to work double-time to catch up. Now, thanks to recent changes in the federal government’s policy, worrying about where or how you’re going to feed your baby is one less thing new moms will have to do.

This focus on breastfeeding starts in the hospital, as the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative encourages nurses to learn about the importance of breastfeeding and to pass this knowledge on to new mothers. Baby-Friendly Hospitals also teach mothers to make skin-to-skin contact and breastfeed their child within the first hour of life, rather than removing the child from the room. This helps increase the baby’s body temperature and can prevent weight loss. Contemporary nurses who earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree are aware of the significance of breastfeeding, which has helped to eliminate some of the stigma surrounding it.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires companies allow for nursing employees to have a reasonably break time to either nurse or express milk until the child is one year old. They also must provide a clean, non-restroom area for nursing moms where they won’t be disturbed by coworkers or the public.

With a new study reporting that breastfeeding mothers are often viewed as less competent than their non-breastfeeding counterparts, new moms are sure to be looking forward to bringing the practice more widespread acceptance.

Emily Borna, partner at Jackson Lewis, LLP and mother to a newborn, is pleased with the news. “This law gives terrific protection to encourage women to continue breastfeeding as long as possible,” Borna says. “This provides a protection to women who nurse in the workplace, giving them reasonable breaks in a private, clean space,” until the child is one year of age.

She adds that many states already had this legislation, but the law now covers all companies with 50 or more employees or those that earn at least $500,000 a year.

To make breastfeeding at work as seamlessly as possible, experts suggest establishing a good feeding routine while on maternity leave and being familiar with your company’s policies on telecommuting, working from home and flex days. They also say to plan for the unexpected, like leaking, faulty pumps or a sitter’s cancellation.

Groups like ENACT and NCSL provide information on programs to educate employers about breastfeeding policies, how the law differs state-to-state and studies showing the benefits of nursing.

Caroline Cox is associate editor of Little PINK Book.