Breastfeeding at work
In the not so distant past, breastfeeding was considered a taboo
subject. Mothers nursed their children in private and scheduled
their social contact and outings around the baby's feeding
schedule. Luckily, for nursing mothers and babies alike, the
traditional roles of motherhood have shifted, and so has the
perception of nursing in the workplace.
One of the major reasons for the shift is the number of women
entering the workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, women make up forty six percent of the U.S.
workforce. Two-thirds of new employees will be women starting or
returning to work and seventy five percent of working women
become pregnant during their working lives. It is no longer
uncommon to be a nursing mother working full-time outside the
home. Manufacturers of nursing undergarments, apparel and
accessories have capitalized on this trend, benefiting their
industry, employers, nursing mothers and babies.
Nursing mothers now have a wide range of choices to fit their
personal needs and style. Nursing bras, once considered clunky
and unfashionable are offered in chic styles, colors and
patterns that can make nursing moms feel feminine with
functionality that makes it easy to nurse or pump in public
while still maintaining a sense of privacy and modesty.
Akin to the nursing bra, women can now choose from nursing
camisoles and tanks that can be layered and coordinated with
other wardrobe pieces to maintain accessibility for nursing
while looking their best. Women can now dress casually or
professionally in the workplace, regardless of nursing status.
Nursing mothers who work outside the home are another driving
force behind the public acceptance of nursing. Approximately
ninety percent of mothers leave the hospital nursing, but by the
sixth month postpartum twenty four percent of part-time working
mothers and only twelve percent of full-time working mothers are
still nursing. That number is increasing, due in part to the
availability of portable breast pumps, corporate lactation
programs that offer private mother's rooms where women can pump
in a relaxing environment, accessories and breaks from work
exclusively for pumping breast milk.
Medela, one of the largest and well-known manufacturers of
nursing bras and breast pumps, promotes corporate lactation
programs that also extend to non-nursing employees by providing
information to make them more comfortable with the benefits of
continued breastfeeding and their nursing co-worker. In turn,
this knowledge makes the nursing mother feel more comfortable
and the other employees possibly more accepting of nursing or
pumping in public or in the workplace.
The corporate world is realizing that they too can benefit from
promoting nursing in the workplace. Breastfed babies tend to
have less frequent and less serious illnesses, equating to lower
absentee rates and associated health care costs.
Nursing-friendly companies also receive and extra boost in
public image. The return on the nursing investment for companies
is well-worth the start-up costs.
Today nursing mothers, regardless of employment status, have
options and opportunities that promote the healthy practice of
nursing their child as long as possible. Innovations in nursing
apparel and corporate and public attitudes toward nursing have
also helped to create a more positive environment that is
beneficial to everyone.