Good Business Sense

It seems like a "no-brainer" as my daughter would say; it makes good business sense for companies to provide space and time for their employees to breastfeed.  I've said it before and I'll say it again.  If an employee feels she is being taken care of with her needs, she is more apt to want to do well and be more productive for her company.  In addition, the company would be promoting breastfeeding and pumping, which, in turn is best for the baby.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has kicked off a new nationwide program called "The Business Care for BreastFeeding."  It's an attempt to persuade employers that by being breastfeeding-friendly they can reduce sick time, health care costs and other such things.

According to an article I read recently in The Birmingham Alabama News, "The insurance company CIGNA found that when it provided lactation support, it saved $240,000 a year in health care costs and $62,000 in prescription costs. There was a 77 percent reduction in work time lost to infant illness, and an $880 savings per employee who participated. Mutual of Omaha discovered a $2,146 savings per participant, and Aetna, a $1,435 savings per participant."

Yet staggeringly, only about 26% of employers have programs in place to help their new moms pump at work.  It's not like we're talking about a huge committment here.  All that's needed is a clean room, with a refrigerator and time ( 20 minutes 2 or 3 times a day).  I mean, Come On!

According to the Sloan Work and Family Research Center, women who return to work three months after giving birth breastfeed their children an average of about two months less than those who don't return to work.  (Don't get me started on the need for longer maternity leaves!). 

Work places need to be more cognizant about being breastfeeding-friendly.  The numbers speaks for themselves.  It's simply good business.  End of story.  I'm wiping my hands. Can you tell?