mother-friendly worksite policy initiative: an overview
DESCRIPTION
Mother-Friendly Worksite Policy Initiative: An Overview. Breastfeeding— a Primary Prevention Strategy. Suboptimal breastfeeding is associated with increased risk 1 :. Breastfeeding: Outcomes for Moms. Breastfeeding is associated with reduced risk for maternal 2-16 :. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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