To breastfeed or not to breastfeed? – It’s a question many mothers struggle with as they prepare to return to work following maternity leave. The issue has been in the hot air recently as the Government Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, went on record suggesting breastfeeding should become part of everyday office life. As an employer myself, the request for time and space to breastfeed during work hours, might seem a daunting task to accommodate. There are, however, ample reasons why an employer should provide the necessary time and facilities, and also a few things to consider for both parties.
By law, under the Workplace Regulations of 1992, an employer is required to provide an area, other than a toilet, where pregnant or breastfeeding women can rest. This area should be located close to necessary facilities, such as toilets, and provide for the possibility of lying down if necessary. There are no legal obligations for the employer to give paid or unpaid breaks for breastfeeding or extracting milk, but refusing the extra time off may amount to unlawful gender discrimination. It is the Government’s advice to employers that they try to work with new mothers to find a good working solution.
A woman returning to work with a new child will often feel a certain amount of stress and perhaps guilt having left her child in the care of others. Continuing to breastfeed the child after returning to work could relieve some of those feelings and leave her better able to focus on her work in the knowledge that she is still caring for the child. Sudden cessation of breastfeeding can also become a health issue causing problems such as mastitis.
To continue breastfeeding her child the new mother might want to arrange for someone to bring the child by the workplace twice or a few times per day. She might have the child in care close by and would rather leave for short periods to feed the child where it is. Where neither of these two options are available, the new mother could extract milk for later use, with an electrical or hand-driven breast pump. Privacy during this process is appropriate and so is access to a refrigerator for storing the milk. The time needed to breastfeed or extract milk is not required by law to be a paid break, however it might be a good idea to allow this, bearing in mind it is only a temporary accommodation. Supporting a woman through this period of her life might enhance her loyalty as an employee and send a positive message to the workforce regarding the employer’s interest in their welfare. An employer might want to make sure that the rest of the staff are in support of the arrangements as the extra break time could leave them having to cover some of her work.
When preparing to return to work the new mother should contact her employer, letting them know that she plans to continue breastfeeding. It will be helpful to the employer if she can communicate her preferences, such as the when and where, and also how long she is planning to go on breastfeeding. As it could be difficult to say exactly how much time will be needed, it could be a good idea agree on a plan for a few months at a time and revisit this at the end of each period. Keeping a flexible attitude with regards to when break times are to be taken, avoiding peak hours if possible, could help both the employer and co-workers better handle the extra workload that would result.
Helpful Resources
Read the ACAS comprehensive guide on breastfeeding in the workplace.
Visit Working Mums for a whole host of support between businesses and mothers.
