As a new mom, the topic of breastfeeding is going to come up. No matter how embarrassing or strange you feel about it, people are going to bring it up. To make matters worse you may need to talk to your employer about breastfeeding to develop a pumping plan at work.
Ack, as if you didn’t have enough anxiety about returning to work already! However, breastfeeding is all natural. Be confident and proud about your intentions to continue expressing milk for your baby. If you still feel nervous about bringing up this up with your boss refer to the following tips below.
How To Talk To Your Employer About Breastfeeding
Be Confident and Ask Fellow Moms
There is unity among other moms. Before your maternity leave ask the other moms in the office what it was like breastfeeding if they chose to do so. Then ask how your employer handled the situation and if they ever decided to breast pump at work.
They will fill you in on all the details and may even provide helpful tips on how to successfully pump in the office. Also, they’ve given birth and already faced potentially embarrassing topic of breastfeeding. Talking about it with them may give you more confidence for bringing it up with your boss and HR specialist.
Plus, if you find another expectant mother who would also like to pump at work maybe they will go with you to speak with your employer.
Either way, don’t feel intimidated. Your boss most likely has kids of their own and will understand. Also, your HR professional, is just that, a professional. They’re trained on how to handle the matter.
Develop a Plan and Know Your Rights
You may feel more confident discussing breast pumping at work once you have a solid plan. Let your employer know that you plan to pump and will need to for about 15 to 20 minutes about every 3 hours. This can be accomplished during your morning break, lunch break, and afternoon break. Be flexible with your employer to fit these breaks into your schedule.
Then it might be good to mention what you need in order to successfully pump, such as a private space to do so. You may want to refer to the breast pumping laws to back yourself up on this.
Under the Break Time for Nursing Mothers law, all employers with 50 or more employees are required to provide eligible moms reasonable break time to express milk for up to one year after their child’s birth.
They must also provide a private space other than a bathroom for nursing mothers to express milk in. The space must be free from intrusion of coworkers and the public.
Be sure to tell your employer about your plan to breast pump at work in advance, because if they haven’t created a space for nursing mothers already then it may take some time to create a lactation room.
Back It Up With Facts
Most employers will be more than happy to accommodate your needs, however, you might feel more comfortable if you know the facts about how supported mothers are better employees to back yourself up with.
There are tons of resources that showcase how when supported at work nursing moms are: - Happier
- More productive
- Absent less often
- More loyal
Plus, the savings for employers are astronomical. Supporting moms lowers turnover rates, so less cost is spent looking for new workers. Also, breastfed babies are healthier, so health care costs are lowered!
You Can Talk About Breastfeeding
Even if it may seem uncomfortable, confidently speak with your boss or HR professional about breastfeeding. It’s your right to continue producing breast milk for your child. Just seek advice from other moms and put your plan together to feel confident and prepared for the talk.
All content published on the Motif Medical site is created for informational purposes only. This information should not substitute as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or qualified health professional with any questions regarding the health of you or your baby.
