Breastfeeding offers a myriad of health benefits to nursing mothers and their children.
Breastfeeding is proven to be one of the most effective measures a mother can take to protect the health of her infant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Breastfed babies experience fewer ear infections and have a reduced risk for significant acute and chronic diseases, including sudden infant death syndrome, childhood leukemia, asthma and type 2 diabetes.
Breastfeeding also has health benefits for new mothers as well. Nursing their newborns decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes and breast and ovarian cancers. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, breastfeeding also helps families save an estimated $1,500 annually through reduced medical costs, less time away from work and costs for baby formula.
While breastfeeding provides health, nutritional, economic and emotional benefits to mother and baby, it can also be good for business.
The Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes that the health benefits to mother and baby conveyed by breastfeeding translate into reduced costs to employers.
A report from The National Business Group on Health, a non-profit organization representing large employers on national health policy issues, states that workplace breastfeeding programs may help to mitigate healthcare costs, lost productivity and absenteeism. The study found that by encouraging breastfeeding programs, employers can:
- Lower Health Care Costs
Breastfeeding can reduce medical costs for mother and child. For every 1,000 babies not breastfed, there are an extra 2,033 physician visits, 212 days in the hospital and 609 prescriptions. - Lower Absenteeism
One-day absences to care for sick children occur more than twice as often for mothers of formula feeding infants. - Keeping Valuable Employees
Turnover is costly for any business and employers are interested in retaining valuable employees, including those who go on maternity leave. Providing family-centered programs to help employees balance family and work commitments can positively impact retention rates, resulting in potential cost savings to the company. A study of multiple companies with lactation support programs found an average retention rate of 94 percent.
While the economic benefits are substantial, there are also legal reasons for businesses to adopt a breastfeeding policy.
Businesses with more than 50 employees are required by The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide breaks for mothers to breastfeed or express their breast milk.
The law also requires employers to provide a space other than a bathroom where breastfeeding can take place. The law took effect in March 2010 and modified the Federal Labor Standards Act to incorporate breastfeeding rules for hourly workers.
More information about the law is available at the U.S. Department of Labor website at www.dol.gov/whd/nursingmothers.
Workplace breastfeeding programs are a growing trend in businesses as a means of improving family services to employees and maximizing the health and economic benefits of breastfeeding to families and businesses. FBN
Angela Horvath is a policy analyst with the Coconino County Public Health Services District. Contact her at 928-679-7333 or ahorvath@coconino.az.gov for more information.
