August starts the beginning of the World Breastfeeding Week, which is held every year from 1 to 7 August. It was first started in 1992 by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and is now observed in 120 countries. The week aims to raise awareness and sensitivity towards breastfeeding and advocate for better policies that support breastfeeding in private, public, and professional spaces.
It goes without saying that mothers who return to work after their maternity leave are required to find ways to either breastfeed their kids while they are at work or pump and store their breast milk so that they can feed it to the baby later.
Breast milk is the most effective source of nutrition for toddlers and should not be replaced. Most workplaces do not have the infrastructure or policies to aid young mothers with breastfeeding or expressing milk. This ultimately makes work difficult for breastfeeding women. Here are some ways in which companies can support breastfeeding employees:
WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK 2024: HOW EMPLOYERS CAN SUPPORT
Infrastructure Support
Workplaces should provide breastfeeding employees with facilities like a clean and lockable room that gives them privacy to express and store milk or directly breastfeed their baby if they bring the baby to office. The office should also have a fridge where one can safely store the pumped milk. Toilets are not regarded as a suitable place to breastfeed or express milk due to the possibility of contamination.
Clear Policies
Businesses and organisations should clearly mention and advertise norms about things such as nursing breaks, extra leaves, policy of bringing kids to work, or allowing remote work to breastfeeding mothers. By openly stating these policies, employees would know their rights and their seniors can not withhold them.
In India, as per the Maternity Benefits Act, breastfeeding employees are entitled to two nursing breaks of prescribed duration for expressing breast milk. These nursing breaks are paid and are available till the child is 15 months old.
Encourage flexible working
Offices should allow breastfeeding mothers to work from home and have flexible working hours. Contrary to popular opinion, breastfeeding is not easy. It is estimated that breastfeeding can burn up to 1,000 calories daily and mothers can use up to 25 percent of their energy to produce milk. This can lead to fatigue. Therefore breastfeeding mothers’ need for remote work should be accommodated.
Educate staff
All staff members should be educated about the government’s policies on maternity rights at the workplace. People should also be sensitised about breastfeeding, so that expressing milk is not sexualised or seen as slacking.
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