Workplace Breastfeeding Programs: Tips for Employers

Overview
August 1-7 2008 is World Breastfeeding Week, a week aimed at gaining greater support for women to achieve exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of the infant's life.¹ Leading national and international organizations recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of an infant's life, continued breastfeeding until the infant's first birthday, and as long thereafter as mother and baby desire.²

Health Benefits of Breastfeeding
Medical experts agree that breastfeeding is better than formula-feeding.² Breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition for infants.³ It also offers important short and long-term health benefits to both postpartum women and their infants.³

Infants who are breastfed are:

• Better prepared to fight off infections and allergens as they grow than infants who are formula fed.⁴
• Less likely to develop obesity, type I and II diabetes than infants who are formula-fed.⁴
• Less likely to suffer from ear infections, respiratory infections,⁴ gastroenteritis and eczema than infants who are formula-fed.⁴

Women who breastfeed:

• Decrease their risk of breast cancer 4.3% for every 12 month increment of breastfeeding over her lifetime.⁵
• Decrease risk of ovarian cancer.³
• Reduce stress and protect maternal mood.⁶

The Business Case for Promoting Breastfeeding
In the past 20 years, the percentage of new mothers in the workforce has increased by more than 80% (current level 57.9%).⁷ Breastfeeding not only offers important health benefits for both mother and child, it also offers important economic benefits as well.

• According to a 2001 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) study, if breastfeeding rates were increased to match those recommended by the Surgeon General/ Healthy People 2010 goals, an estimated $3.6 billion (in year 1998 dollars) could be saved in healthcare costs, lost earnings of parents, and costs of premature mortality.⁸
• A study of multiple companies with lactation support programs found an average retention rate of 94.2%.⁹
• Workplace breastfeeding programs may help to mitigate lost productivity/absenteeism by:
  • Decreasing employee absences associated with childhood illness.
  • Promoting an earlier return from maternity leave.
  • Increasing retention of female employees.

Employer Action

• Develop a workplace breastfeeding policy that clearly outlines what benefits, services, and programs are available to support breastfeeding women.
• Support flexible work options for women returning from maternity leave. For example:
  • Part-time for a period of time.
  • Job sharing.
  • Telecommuting.
  • Flexible scheduling (ex: taking off Wednesdays for a period of time).
• Support women who choose to breastfeed their infants by providing a worksite lactation program. This should include physical access to pumps and private rooms in addition to outreach and education about breastfeeding.²
• Contract with a lactation expert to provide education & assistance.
• Provide incentives for health pregnancy behavior, like breastfeeding. For example provide rebates for breast pumps.²
• Provide beneficiaries with health education on the merits of breastfeeding.

Citations

1. Breastfeeding Taskforce of Greater Los Angeles. World Alliance for Breastfeeding (WABA) Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week in over 120 countries. Available at: http://www.breastfeedingtaskforla.org/bfweek2008.htm. Accessed July 10, 2008.
2. Campell KP, editor. Investing in Maternal and Child Health: An Employer's Toolkit. Washington DC: Center for Prevention and Health Services, National Business Group on Health; 2007.
3. Womenshealth.gov. Benefits of Breastfeeding. Available at: http://www.4woman.gov/Breastfeeding/index.cfm?page=227. Accessed July 10, 2008.
4. Ip S, Chung M, Raman G, Chew P, Magula N, DeVine D, Trikalinos T, Lau J. Breastfeeding and Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Developed Countries. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. 153. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality;2007. AHRQ Publication No. 07-E007
5. Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer. Breast cancer and breastfeeding: collaborative reanalysis of individual data from 47 epidemiological studies in 30 countries, including 50,302 women with breast cancer and 96,973 women without the disease. The Lancet. 2002; 32: 117-121.
6. Groër MW, Davis MW, Hemphill J: Postpartum stress: Current concepts and the possible protective role of breastfeeding. J Obstet Gyncol Neonatal Nurs. 2002; 31:411-417.
7. Ball TM, Bennett DM. The economic impact of breastfeeding. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2001; 48(1):253-262.
8. Weimer J. The economical cost of breastfeeding: A review and an analysis. ERS Food Assistance and 3. Nutrition Research Report No. 13, Washington, DC: Economic Research Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 2001.
9. Ortiz J, McGilligan K, Kelly P. Duration of breast milk expression among working mothers enrolled in an employer-sponsored lactation program. Pediatric Nursing. 2004;30(2):111-119.