Breastfeeding's Surprising Beneficiaries

Breastfeeding isn’t just good for moms and babies. It benefits employers, too.

Fewer absences and increased productivity are among the advantages of supporting employees who breastfeed. Women who have provisions to express milk at work are more productive and loyal, according to a study in Pediatric Nursing. The research also showed that such employer support results in women being more likely to return from maternity leave. They often come back earlier, too.

Workplaces that provide breastfeeding employees with refrigerators and private rooms for breast pumping improve staff morale and boost public perception. Savings from staff retention and reduced absenteeism far surpass the cost of providing breast-pumping breaks, says the US Office of Women’s Health (OWH).

The US could save $13 billion every year if 90% of mothers exclusively breastfeed their infants for 6 months, according to the OWH. Those dollars include considerable medical spending, because formula-fed babies need more visits to the pediatrician, more days in the hospital and more prescriptions than nursed infants.

Bosses should note that since breast milk-fed infants are less likely to develop many infectious illnesses, working parents are less prone to needing time off to care for them. Of course, the assurance of their infant’s good health makes it easier for parents to focus while they’re on the job.

To ease the transition back to work, human resources representatives should discuss breastfeeding accomodations with new mothers ahead of time. Employers can expect workday breast-pumping breaks to decrease during the second half of the first year, as the baby develops and can eat more solid foods.

Prenatal and post-pregnancy moms learned about the benefits of breastfeeding, their workplace breastfeeding rights and coordinating feedings with the baby’s caregiver during Going Back to Work, a special event sponsored byStaten Island University Hospital’s Women, Infants and Children’s Program. North Shore-LIJ’s Office of Community and Public Health offers ongoing classes throughout metro New York onbreastfeeding, baby care basics and CPR for the whole family.

This post was written by Susan Gray, RDN, CDN, of the North Shore-LIJ Health System.

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