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Q. What will it cost?
The cost will vary depending on circumstances and what is put in place. Any costs would need to be measured against short- and long-term savings, such as increased productivity, and intangible benefits to business like improved staff morale and a good company image in the community.
Q. How long will it last?
Different international and national standards vary slightly, but they generally recommend that women exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first four to six months i.e. no additional fluid or food, and continue to partially breastfeed for up to two years or more. Some women may, however, decide to breastfeed for shorter periods. For the first six months a mother may need to have access to her baby frequently or to express milk frequently. Between six months and one year, the baby reduces the frequency of breastfeeding as it starts eating solid foods. At this time the frequency of breaks may decrease. Generally speaking, while some women will wish to continue to take breaks at work to breastfeed or express breast milk, by the time their child is a year old, many mothers will have stopped requiring breaks at work.
Q. Will I need to make space permanently available?
Generally no, but this depends on the size and make-up of your workforce. If you employ large numbers of women between the ages of 20-45 you may want to make such spaces permanently available. For some organisations, it may be a one-off, or intermittent temporary measure, in which case a permanent space may be unnecessary. It may be as minimal as making an appropriate space available for your employee’s use for two or three 30-minute breaks each day for six months (if the employee is expressing milk).
The World Health Organization advises that workplace support should be made available for the first 12 months after the birth of a baby, and that after that a woman should be more easily able to balance work and breastfeeding[8].
Q. Are there any legal obligations I should think about?
The Human Rights Act (section 74) provides that preferential treatment based on pregnancy and childbirth is permitted. Health and safety regulations also do not prevent employers from allowing a baby to be breastfed in the workplace, provided this can be done under healthy and safe conditions. Your existing health and safety management systems (hazard identification and controls under the Health and Safety in Employment Act) should already have identified any actual or potential hazards for employees and other people in the workplace. Another risk assessment may need to be done bearing in mind the particular needs of a breastfeeding woman and her baby (including a risk assessment of any facilities or storage space provided).
As with all employees, the law requires you to do several things.
It requires you:
- to protect the health and safety of all workers, and any other people, e.g. a baby and the baby’s caregiver who are at work, or in the vicinity of work (section 5, Health and Safety in Employment Act)
- to ‘take all practicable steps’ to prevent health and safety risks to employees and others at work or in the vicinity of work (i.e. this applies to the mother or caregiver and the baby).
While it is the responsibility of employers and employees to identify hazards, you can call your local branch of the Department of Labour (Occupational Safety and Health), an occupational health nurse, or the woman’s lead maternity carer for guidance on whether a particular substance could be hazardous[9]
Some things that you may want to specifically focus on when an employee decides to breastfeed include:
- How work is organised – could the employee’s work or work conditions, e.g. her role or hours of work, cause her harm or stress? For example, if an employee’s usual role involves heavy manual handling, this task may be risky shortly after child-birth, or could interfere with breastfeeding, in which case, if it is reasonable and practical for the business, suitable alternative work may need to be found temporarily. The same terms and conditions or work, including pay, should apply. However, in general, pregnancy or lactation shouldn’t prevent a woman from doing anything, unless medically indicated or deemed hazardous.
- Hazardous substances – some substances, such as inorganic or organic lead, mercury or solvents, can enter breast milk and so pose a danger to the breastfed baby. If an employee is coming into contact with, or is close to, hazardous substances, the job either needs to be made safe for the breastfeeding employee or alternative work in the organisation needs to be found. In some cases the needs of the job or the risks posed to a baby on-site might prevent the provision of facilities for breastfeeding.
Q. Why is breastfeeding beneficial?
Research[10] shows that, in almost all cases, breastfeeding means better health for both mothers and babies.
The benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and babies are well-documented, and evidence also shows that, the longer a mother breastfeeds her baby, the better the health benefits are for both her and her baby.
The research shows that:
- breast milk is the healthiest food for most babies and protects babies from illness and infection, so babies who are breastfed are less likely to have
- gastroenteritis, and other gastro-intestinal illnesses like diarrhoea
- respiratory infections
- urinary tract infections
- ear infections
- mothers who breastfeed are less likely to develop
- breast cancer before the menopause
- some forms of ovarian cancer
- hip fractures later in life
- enabling a breastfeeding employee to feed her baby or express breast milk as she needs to will also reduce her risk of physical complications that can be associated with breastfeeding (like infection).
Q. I employ Maori and/or Pacific people and/or people from different
cultures or religious backgrounds – are there any potential issues I
should know about?
Women from all cultures generally want dignity, respect and consideration around breastfeeding issues and, while cultural support for breastfeeding varies, people are generally supportive if breastfeeding in the workplace is done discreetly.
Generally, Maori, like Pakeha, treat breast milk as kai (food), which means that it can be stored in a communal fridge. Note that, for Maori staff, it is not appropriate to have a door leading from a breastfeeding/expression room into a toilet.
Make sure that clear communication and discussion take place to resolve any issues. If there are concerns from staff, you may want to discuss how to deal with these with a Plunket Society Kaiawhina or contact Nga Maia, the organisation for Maori Midwifery and traditional childbirth.
Q. Is this good for business?
The benefits to business of having good employment practices, being an employer of choice, having family-friendly practices and/or having regard to work-life balance are well documented. Some of this research has specifically considered breastfeeding in the workplace. Evidence has shown both tangible savings and other less tangible benefits to business.
Q. How will other employees benefit?
If an employee is given support to breastfeed/express, then she may be more open to accommodate the needs of other staff. It will make for a better, more co-operative and tolerant workplace culture.
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Footnotes
[8] World Health Organization, (1997), WHO’s Contribution to the International Labour Organization’s Law and Practice Report on Maternity Protection, Geneva. World Health Organization.
[9] The Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995 part one, clauses (4) to (9) provides for certain facilities employers are obligated to provide. The Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 part two, clauses (6) to (19) provides for an employer’s duty to health and safety in the workplace.
[10] American Academy of Pediatrics. (1997). Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics, 100, 1035-1039. World Health Organization/UNICEF. (2003). Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding. Geneva: World Health Organization. Ministry of Health. (2002). Breastfeeding: A Guide to Action. Wellington: Ministry of Health.
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