Organising a Breastfeeding-friendly Workplace.
Speak to us about how to get your workplace breastfeeding friendly.
Talks at Workplaces
As part of its initiative to promote continued breastfeeding for working mums, ABAS conducts lunchtime talks to staff at workplaces to help them understand the needs of a breastfeeding employee. The talks are conducted by trained volunteers who are healthcare professionals or experienced mothers.
The two topics offered are:
- Working and Breastfeeding – This talk covers the practical aspects of how mothers can continue feeding infants breast milk even after they have returned to full-time work.
- Feeding Baby Right in the First Year – This topic guides parents on the best nutrition for infants in the first year of life.
Consultations with Management
- Sit down with management in your organization to discuss how to make improvements to your workplace with the needs of the breastfeeding employee in mind.
- Advise your organization on how to set up a Lactation Room
Enquiries to abas.sec@gmail.com
Setting up a Lactation Room
Essential
- Clean, private area with comfortable seating and power point (eg the meeting/conference or store room, but definitely not a toilet). In most cases, this does not involve a lot of expense to the employer, rather reorganizing. If there is no specially designated breastfeeding room, a special signage for when the room is being used should be available.
- Facilities for washing hands and equipment.
- Refrigerator for storage of breastmilk.
- Flexibility of times of usual breaks and/or lactation breaks as required for expressing of breastmilk or breastfeeding. Lactation breaks need to be negotiated between the employer and employee. The International Labour Organisation recommends two thirty minute breaks in an eight hour shift in addition to normal breaks
- Information about facilities and policies provided at time of request for maternity leave.
- Information about facilities and policies displayed and distributed where appropriate to inform employees who are pregnant or considering pregnancy.
Helpful
- Facilities for storage of breast pump and other equipment (eg cupboard or locker).
- Availability of a steam/microwave sterilizer.
- Availability of flexible work options eg job-sharing/part-time/home-based/flexi-hours. These may already be in place but not utilised and can make it easier for mothers to combine their parenting and work commitments.
- Assistance with child care eg on-site centre/help with locating childcare places/employer-sponsored child care.
Adapted and modified from Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Accreditation Information Booklet, Australian Breastfeeding Association
