Mother-Friendly Worksite Policy Initiative: An Overview

Breastfeeding—a Primary Prevention Strategy

Suboptimal breastfeeding is associated with increased risk1:

Obesity 32% Gastrointestinal Infections

178%

Ear Infections 100% Atopic Dermatitis 47%

Lower Respiratory Infection (hospital)

257% Type 2 Diabetes 64%

Childhood Asthma(family hx; no hx)

67%; 35%

Childhood Leukemias

18%, 23%

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

56% Necrotizing Enterocolitis

138%

Breastfeeding: Outcomes for Moms

Breastfeeding is associated with reduced risk for maternal2-16:

Breast cancer

Ovarian cancer

Type 2 diabetes

Postpartum depression

Cardiovascular disease

Metabolic syndrome

Recovery from pregnancy is slowed if breastfeeding doesn’t occur

Work Remains a Barrier to Breastfeeding

• Full-time employment decreases breastfeeding duration by an average of more than 8 weeks.

• Mothers are most likely to wean their infants within the first month after returning to work.

• Only 10% of full-time working women exclusively breastfeed for 6 months.

Physiologic Basis

• Breaks for lactation are similar to other work breaks to attend to physical needs.

• When mother and child are separated for more than a few hours, the woman must express milk.

• In general, 30 minutes are needed approximately every 2-3 hours to express breastmilk or to breastfeed.

• Missing lactation breaks can lead to negative physical outcomes.

Business Case

• Lactation programs are cost-effective, showing a $3 return on $1 investment.

• Lactation accommodation is not one-size-fits all. Flexible programs can be designed to meet the needs of both the employer and employee.

Breastfeeding reduced risk of occurrence and reduced acuity

of illness of the newborn and of the older child

= fewer absences of employees who are mothers

and fathers and lower health care costs

= immediate and on-going return on investment

Breastfeeding support in the workplace helps families meet their breastfeeding and

childrearing goals

= higher job satisfaction, increased loyalty,

increased ability to focus on job responsibilities, higher rate and quicker

postpartum return-to-work, and reduced turnover

= immediate return on investment

Breastfeeding reduces risk for chronic disease in female employees who

breastfeed and contributes to

a healthier workforce of the future through reduction of community’s obesity and

chronic disease burden =

long-term payoff that keeps on giving

Fair Labor Standards Act• With the passage of Section 4207 of

the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 US joined 126 other countries whose employed women are entitled to protection for lactation breaks at work.

• Applies to employees covered under this act (“non-exempt” employees)

Legal Basis

http://www.dol.gov/whd/nursingmothers/

Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers

•Reasonable break time each time a mother has a need to express breast milk until child is one. Time used in addition to usual employer-allowed breaks does not need to be paid. •Employer must provide a place that is not a bathroom that is “shielded from view and free from intrusion” to express breastmilk.

o Flexible options for space acceptable as long as requirements met.

Provide guidance, tools, and support for development, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based worksite lactation support policies and programs that are:

• Responsive to needs of employees and their babies

• Feasible and sustainable for employers • Beneficial for the health of Texans

Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite Policy Initiative

Taskforce development

Baseline assessment

Consider solutions/Develop program

plan and policy

Implement program and

evaluate

The Process

The Components

BehaviorInformation Education Communication

EnvironmentPrivate non-bathroom spaceStorage alternativesHygiene alternatives

PolicyMaternity leave, gradual returnFlexible work hoursSupportive supervisors

Comprehensive Lactation Program

Updates from the Field

Learn more at:MotherFriendly.com