Offices need to be more breastfeeding friendly, say experts

Breastfeeding friendly policies are needed in the workplace to help new mothers returning to the office.

ABU DHABI // Employers must better cater for new mothers who need to breastfeed or express milk during office hours, experts say.

Rooms should be set aside so women do not have to use unsuitable places such as toilets or cars, which can be unhygienic and stressful for pumping, said Marie-Claire, a volunteer with breastfeeding support group La Leche League.

“If she is unable to pump when she needs to, her breasts become engorged, which can lead to painful blocked ducts and mastitis. It will also directly affect her milk supply,” said Marie-Clair, 46.

“If milk is not regularly removed from the breast the full breast signals the body to reduce milk production, which in turn can affect the growth of her child if not managed correctly.”

The university lecturer said mothers needed a clean, private space with a lockable door, and a refrigerator to store the milk.

Apart from improving mothers’ health and that of their babies, it also leads to greater productivity and a happier workplace, she said.

The World Health Organisation has said that it wants better support for working mothers, and policies that allow them to breastfeed. That has been the message from the global health group over the past week – World Breastfeeding Week, which ended on Friday.

The theme for this year was Women and Work – Let’s Make it Work. The WHO called for flexible work schedules, a place for expressing milk and for employers to allow babies to be taken to work.

Hiba Al Masoud, an airline sales executive, said its headquarters gave an hour a day at the main pantry for breastfeeding mothers to express milk. It also provided the pumps.

“Every day from noon until 1pm they enter the pantry and they put a note outside saying it is closed for an hour,” Ms Al Masoud said. “I don’t go in all the time but there is at least one or two women at a time, up to 15 women. Other employees support it completely. It is a very friendly environment.”

She said women at the office had talked about such a scheme and approached their employers about setting up the room.

“They came up with this idea themselves and through word of mouth it went from one person to the next,” said Ms Al Masoud. “First it was a group of three friends, then it expanded and other women found out about it and they joined.”

The pantry is normally used as a rest room for the office assistants, she said.

“During this hour, the office boys either go to another pantry or they go for lunch break or wait outside or clean the bathrooms,” said Ms Al Masoud.

The women enjoy authorised privacy during that hour and a comfortable environment in which to express.

“Our pantry is nice and big and always clean,” she said. “There is seating for the women and even music playing. They are living it up during the lactation.”