World Breastfeeding Week: Making A Difference For Working Parents

"Mother knows best," we have heard that saying, and deep down, we know it's true. Most mothers understand that breastfeeding is the best form of feeding for their children, but why do many of them avoid breastfeeding altogether? World Breastfeeding Week, supported by WHO, UNICEF, and various health ministries and civil society partners, aims to address the challenges faced by women who must choose between breastfeeding and pursuing their careers. This year's theme focuses on breastfeeding and work, advocating for essential maternity rights that support breastfeeding.

These rights include a minimum maternity leave of 18 weeks, preferably extending beyond 6 months, and workplace accommodations to support breastfeeding after this period. Ensuring women have the freedom to breastfeed for as long as they desire is crucial.

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72% of Working Moms Withdraw from Breastfeeding

Currently, more than 500 million working women lack maternity provisions, and many receive inadequate support when they return to work. During this week, WHO aims to promote best practices for workplace-related breastfeeding support in different countries and sectors, making breastfeeding feasible for all working women.

Enabling successful breastfeeding in workplaces is crucial for the well-being of societies. Breastfeeding offers essential health and nutritional benefits to children, leading to positive long-term effects and fostering healthier populations and more productive workforces.

Forcing women to choose between breastfeeding and their careers is unfair. Supporting breastfeeding should be possible in all workplaces, regardless of the industry or employment contracts.

Effective maternity protections play a significant role in improving the health of both children and women and promoting breastfeeding. Unfortunately, currently, over half a billion working women lack access to essential maternity provisions, and many others receive insufficient support upon their return to work.

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60% of Mothers Do not Breastfeed for the Prescribed Duration

Most women in the US are aware that breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for most newborns, but they seem to lack knowledge about its specific benefits and the risks associated with not breastfeeding for the prescribed period (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Barriers to Breastfeeding in the United States

Go to source).

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Younger Women Are Less Likely to Breastfeed

Creating a Safe Breastfeeding Environment

All women, regardless of their profession, should have access to certain rights, including:

• At least 18 weeks of paid maternity leave, ideally more than 6 months
• Paid time off for breastfeeding or expressing milk when they come back to work
• Flexible options for returning to work

To achieve these goals, policymakers should:

• Enact legislation mandating a minimum of 18 weeks of paid maternity leave, ideally exceeding 6 months
• Ensure that employers offer paid time off and provide dedicated spaces for breastfeeding or expressing milk after the maternity leave period
• Guarantee that all women, including those in informal sectors or on limited contracts, have access to maternity entitlements
• Address employment-related discrimination against women during and after pregnancy and childbirth

Employers and managers can also play a significant role in supporting breastfeeding and work by:

• Providing maternity leave that meets or exceeds national requirements
• Offering time and designated areas for breastfeeding or expressing and storing breast milk
• Implementing options that minimize the separation of women from their babies after maternity leave, such as flexible work schedules, on-site childcare, teleworking, part-time work, or allowing mothers to bring their babies to work

Additionally, colleagues can contribute to making breastfeeding and work successfully by:

• Being flexible with work arrangements when nursing mothers return to work
• Advocating for women's rights in the workplace (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
  World Breastfeeding Week
  
  Go to source)

To conclude,

Overcoming barriers to breastfeeding among working mothers requires a comprehensive approach, involving policymakers, employers, healthcare providers, and society as a whole.

By implementing essential maternity protections, promoting breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, raising awareness, and challenging social norms, we can create a supportive environment that empowers all women to make the best choice for their health and the well-being of their children.

“Together, we can pave the way to improve breastfeeding rates and create healthier future generations.”

References:

1. Barriers to Breastfeeding in the United States - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK52688/)
2. World Breastfeeding Week - (https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-breastfeeding-week/2023)

Source-Medindia