Breastfeeding

Returning to work after having a baby can be challenging. Employers play an important role in supporting employees who choose to breastfeed.

Workplaces that support breastfeeding often experience benefits such as:

• Lower health care costs.
• Decreased absences.
• Reduced employee turnover.
• Improved productivity and staff loyalty.
• Stronger public image of the employer.¹

The more involved an employer is in lactation support, the more likely new mothers are to breastfeed and continue breastfeeding after they return to work.²

Why Breastfeeding Matters

Breastfeeding provides important health benefits for both babies and mothers. For babies, breastfeeding lowers the risk of:

• Diarrhea,
• Ear infections, and
• Chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, asthma, and childhood obesity.^3,4,5

Breastfeeding babies are also less likely to develop rare but serious conditions such as:

• Severe lower respiratory infections,
• Leukemia,
• Necrotizing enterocolitis, and
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).^3,4,5

For mother, breastfeeding can lower the risk of:

• Breast cancer and ovarian cancer,
• Type 2 diabetes, and
• Cardiovascular disease.^3,4

How Employers Can Help

Becoming a mother-friendly employer starts with making your workforce aware that you support breastfeeding employees. Simple ways to help include:

• Provide a private space (not a bathroom) to express milk.
• Allow flexible break times to express and store breast milk.
• Share a clear, written policy to support breastfeeding mothers.

Creating a mother-friendly workplace helps employees feel supported and valued. For guidance and strategies to build an inclusive lactation support program, visit the Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite Program, a national, practice-tested initiative.

For more employer resources, see:

• Supporting Nursing Moms at Work– Office on Women’s Health
• The Fair Labor Standards Act and Pump for Nursing Mothers Act(“PUMP Act”) – US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division
• Promoting Worker Well-Being through Maternal and Child Health: Breastfeeding Accommodations in the Workplace – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Supporting Nursing Moms at Work: Employer Solutions – Office of Women’s Health
• Supporting Breastfeeding in the Workplace Video Playlist – Office of Women’s Health

References

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Business Case for Breastfeeding, 2008.
2. Garcia-Fragoso L, Medina M, Ortiz N. Factors associated to continuing breastfeeding after returning to work in a group of mothers in Puerto Rico. Bol Assoc Med P R 2011;104:12-15.
3. Barriers to Breastfeeding: Supporting Initiation and Continuation of Breastfeeding: American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee Opinion, Number 821. (2021). Obstetrics and gynecology, 137(2), e54–e62.
4. Meek, J. Y., Noble, L., & Section on Breastfeeding (2022). Policy Statement: Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk. Pediatrics, 150(1), e2022057988.
5. Bartick MC, Schwarz EB, et al.. Suboptimal breastfeeding in the United States: Maternal and pediatric health outcomes and costs. Maternal Child Nutrition, 2016.