X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parenting & Play by Friso
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Ages & Stages
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-schooler
    • Kids
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • Money Parenting
    • Tips for Parents
    • Tips for Toddlers
    • Tips for Older Kids
    • The 5 Personas
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Dear employers, supporting breastfeeding mothers is good for business

3 min read
Dear employers, supporting breastfeeding mothers is good for businessDear employers, supporting breastfeeding mothers is good for business

Supporting and normalising breastfeeding is not only good for the health of mothers and babies, but is also great for business.

Normalising breastfeeding at work is good for everyone, according to a new report published by the World Breastfeeding Trends. The report says that giving new mothers the facilities to express milk at the office allows them to return to work earlier, thus benefitting their respective companies.

The Guardian reports that adopting breastfeeding-friendly policies can help business. According to research, thousands of women in the UK who return to part-time roles after a career break found it difficult to work longer hours even if they wanted to, simply because their workplace lacked the flexibility that would allow them to combine work with family.

Lactating mothers need to breastfeed or pump their breast milk regularly or her milk supply will suffer, causing her to be unable to continue feeding. Without adequate support systems in place, it’s no wonder that the UK has the world’s lowest breastfeeding rate (only 0.5% of women in the UK breastfeed their children until they are a year old).

Studies have shown that women are more likely to stay in their jobs if they get proper breastfeeding support

breastfeeding in the workplace

Photo: Shutterstock

This lack of breastfeeding support in the workplace is not limited to the UK. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), almost 25% of all countries do not provide breastfeeding breaks in the office, Especially in Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

The ILO defines a breastfeeding-friendly workplace as one that provides their employees with:

  • comfortable, private facilities to express breast milk
  • access to a fridge to store their milk
  • a clean and safe environment
  • daycare facilities and family-friendly working time arrangements for both women and men

This would only involve limited cost on the part of the employers, in terms of the employee’s time and the cost of the infrastructure needed. And the benefits are well-documented: studies have shown that women are more likely to stay in their jobs if they get proper breastfeeding support.

On the next page: how to talk to your employer about breastfeeding in the workplace.

Talking to your employer about breastfeeding isn’t exactly the easiest conversation to have. Here are some tips from Medela on how to get breastfeeding support in your workplace:

1. Talk to your coworkers

Get the input from fellow moms to see what you can expect. Ask them how supportive management is of breastfeeding, and how they pumped at work.

2. Talk to your HR department

Larger companies might have a wellness program in place that may help you.

breastfeeding in the workplace

Photo: Dreamstime

3. Talk to your boss

While you’re on maternity leave, write your boss an email about your plans to continue breastfeeding. If necessary, you can get a letter from your doctor recommending you to breastfeed.

Ask your boss how the company can support your breastfeeding, and let them know about your schedule and your need for a private space. Remember that your boss might not know anything about breastfeeding and why it’s so important, so you can also tell them about how it will help your baby, your family, and your performance at work.

Be sure to check out theAsianparent Community for more insightful stories, questions, and answers from parents and experts alike. If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below. 

Partner Stories
How To Baby Proof Your House in 4 Easy Steps
How To Baby Proof Your House in 4 Easy Steps
Is Your Baby Wash Safe for Your Precious Little One? Is Bath Time Too Stressful? Here Are Some Handy Tips!
Is Your Baby Wash Safe for Your Precious Little One? Is Bath Time Too Stressful? Here Are Some Handy Tips!
Run a Company or Raise a Child? Why Singapore Makes It Very Possible to Do Both
Run a Company or Raise a Child? Why Singapore Makes It Very Possible to Do Both
Managing Screen Time For Kids During and After Circuit Breaker
Managing Screen Time For Kids During and After Circuit Breaker

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Cristina Morales

  • Home
  • /
  • Parent's Guide
  • /
  • Dear employers, supporting breastfeeding mothers is good for business
Share:
  • Project Liquid Gold: Supporting breastfeeding mums at work

    Project Liquid Gold: Supporting breastfeeding mums at work

  • New Study Finds Link Between Breastfeeding and Good Behaviour

    New Study Finds Link Between Breastfeeding and Good Behaviour

  • "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

    "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

  • Singaporean Sugar Baby Spills The Beans On What Life Is Like With A Sugar Daddy

    Singaporean Sugar Baby Spills The Beans On What Life Is Like With A Sugar Daddy

app info
get app banner
  • Project Liquid Gold: Supporting breastfeeding mums at work

    Project Liquid Gold: Supporting breastfeeding mums at work

  • New Study Finds Link Between Breastfeeding and Good Behaviour

    New Study Finds Link Between Breastfeeding and Good Behaviour

  • "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

    "It was like a bad movie." Family of 5 Jumps Off From Their Apartment in Switzerland

  • Singaporean Sugar Baby Spills The Beans On What Life Is Like With A Sugar Daddy

    Singaporean Sugar Baby Spills The Beans On What Life Is Like With A Sugar Daddy

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2022. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and updates on baby care and health.