Providing support for employees to return to work and continue to breastfeed is good for business! The West Central Public Health Partnership can assist and support your business or organization to become Breastfeeding-Friendly.
 

Research proves that workplace lactation programs/support:

  • Reduce short term and long term healthcare costs (because mothers and babies are healthier)

  • Reduce absenteeism (breastfed babies are sick far less often)

  • Improve productivity

  • Improve employee job satisfaction and morale

  • Improve loyalty and retention

  • Enhance company's image in the eyes of customers, potential employees, and the community

 

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For every dollar invested in basic lactation programs, there is a three-to-one return on investment.

- Office of Women's Health

 

 
 

Colorado State Law

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  • –Workplace Accommodations for Nursing Mothers Act  (WANMA)

  • –Required for employers with one or more employees.

  • –Accommodate mothers for up two years after birth.

  • –Space other than a bathroom to express milk.

  • –Close proximity to the employee’s workstation.

  • –Provides reasonable paid or unpaid break time.

 

Five Steps to Breastfeeding-Friendly

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  1. Start the Conversation with management, human resources, and your local health department. Review employer toolkit for guidance. 

  2. Complete the self-assessment and prioritize a timeline for developing a written policy.

  3. Review, revise, or develop a policy.

  4. Identify a temporary or permanent space and eliminate barriers to scheduling break time.

  5. Continue to promote and improve your support, policy, and space.

 

 

There are three pieces to consider when becoming Breastfeeding-Friendly:

  1. Policy - An explicit policy or set of guidelines outlining organization support for breastfeeding employees.
  2. Time - Workplace flexibility.
  3. Space - Accessible, clean, private, and safe space other than a bathroom for employees to express or pump breast milk. 
    • Locking door and/or privacy protocols, signage, electrical outlet , comfortable chair, table, close to employee's workstation, close to a clean sink, fridge to store breast milk, multi-user pump and a welcoming atmosphere.