Breast Feeding at Work

Reason given by new mums for not breastfeeding is that they are returning to work soon after the birth of their baby. Whatever the future holds, the immense benefits of breastfeeding to both mother and baby make beginning breastfeeding worthwhile. You may like to consider the following possibilities before writing off the combination of breastfeeding and work as impractical. New mums need to investigate how much maternity leave you can afford and whether you can work part-time for a while.

If employment can be delayed until your baby is 6 months old he may be eating a range of solids and need less milk during working hours. Women returning to work from maternity leave may face problems in continuing to breastfeed due to a lack of flexibility and understanding from their employer. In some cases, women are forced to resign because their employer will not agree to a change to their working day to accommodate breastfeeding.

This may amount to indirect and, in some circumstances, direct sex discrimination.

All employers have a legal duty to make provisions for breastfeeding mothers:

If you need to work different hours due to childcare responsibilities or you want to continue breastfeeding, your employer has a duty to consider your request seriously. If your employer refuses your request without a good business reason, you may have a claim for indirect sex discrimination and should seek further advice. You must notify your employer in writing that you intend to breastfeed at work so that an assessment can be carried out to determine if your working conditions pose a risk to your health or that of your baby.

An employer must provide adequate rest, meal and refreshment breaks for women who have given birth in the last six months and women who are breastfeeding.