Maternidade Segura m10

8/12/2019 Maternidade Segura m10

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INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATIONConditions of Work and Employment Programme (TRAVAIL) • 2012

Module 10: Breastfeeding arrangements atwork

Maternity Protection Resource PackageFrom Aspiration to Reality for All



MATERNITY PROTECTION RESOURCE PACKAGE. FROM ASPIRATION TO REALITY FOR ALLPart 2: MATERNITY PROTECTION AT WORK IN DEPTH: THE CORE ELEMENTS

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10 Breastfeeding arrangements at work

Key contentsThis module discusses the importance of breastfeeding, thechallenges of continuing breastfeeding upon return to work,legislation and practical tools that can help to facilitate continuedbreastfeeding for mothers returning to paid work. It includes thefollowing:

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The benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and their babies,employers and societyInternational standards and national legislation supportingbreastfeeding for mothers in paid work

Practical measures for supporting breastfeeding for mothers inpaid workConsiderations regarding breastfeeding and HIV and the rolesthat workplace stakeholders can play in diminishing thetransmission of HIV to infants through breastfeeding (PMTCT)




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Breastfeeding is:

Advantages and benefits of breastfeeding

An unequalled way of providing food and care for thehealthy growth and development of infants and youngchildren

An integral part of the reproductive process withimportant implications for the health of mothers

Necessary to avoid both short- and long-term risks for

mothers and children An exclusive feeding practice and is a suitable optionfor many HIV-positive mothers, especially in thepresence of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs)




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Breastfeeding after returning to workWork is one of the main reasons that working women stopbreastfeeding. For many women, the lack of workplace support for breastfeedingmakes working incompatible with breastfeeding.Yet, supporting breastfeeding at work:

is a low cost intervention for employersinvolves minimal disruption to the workplacebrings benefits for employers including • higher retention rates

• lower employee absenteeism rates on account of improved childhealth

• lower health care costs• enhanced employee morale and productivity and improved

company image




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Supporting breastfeeding and work:Breastfeeding breaks Breastfeeding or nursing breaks are short periods that arereserved during the workday to breastfeed one’s child orexpress milk to be fed later to the child

Convention No. 183 calls for:The right to one or more daily breaks or a reduction inworking time for the purpose of breastfeeding

The length and number of breaks to be decidednationally

Nursing breaks are to be counted as working time andremunerated




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Supporting breastfeeding and work:Breastfeeding facilities

Recommendation No. 191 encourages breastfeeding facilitiesat the workplaceBreastfeeding facilities or nursing rooms are simply a place

where a worker can feed her baby or express her milkThese facilities should be clean, have clean water and privacyMore than 20 countries have legislation for the provision ofsuch facilitiesThey are inexpensive to set up, and can consist of only aconveniently located small clean space with a chair, access toclean water and a screen for privacyMore elaborate facilities can have a refrigerator and an outletfor an electric pump



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Breastfeeding arrangements at work

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Other ways to support breastfeedingand workOther elements can help tosupport breastfeeding at work,such as:

Proper information

Support from colleagues

Flexible working time

Childcare facilities A breastfeeding policy




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How to make the workplacebreastfeeding-friendly Several concrete options exist to make the workplace morebreastfeeding-friendly. They include the following:

Time: maternity leave, parental leaves, flexible hours,more breaks, attention to parents’ needs regardingchildren’s schedules

Space: comfortable, private facilities for expressing breastmilk, access to a fridge to store milk, a clean and safe workenvironment, day care facilities if feasible

Support: policy, information, discussions, consultations insupport of breastfeeding and of family-related entitlements




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Breastfeeding and HIVOne of the reasons for MTCT is that mothers do not know their HIVstatus.

Antiretrovirals and other measures can dramatically reduce the risk ofMTCTThe workplace can play a pro-active role in preventing MTCT byfacilitating access to:

voluntary and confidential testingtreatment and information on infant feeding options for HIV positivewomen

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Where mothers living with HIV are encouraged to breastfeed as thebest feeding option for their infants, continued breastfeeding afterreturning to work is even more critical




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Key pointsReturning to paid work is a major reason for women to stop breastfeeding before the

internationally recommended duration of six months of exclusive breastfeeding and continuedbreastfeeding until two years or beyond.Breastfeeding is the norm for feeding babies and supporting breastfeeding at work producesmajor health and economic advantages with benefits for the child, the mother, the employer andsociety.

Among the benefits reported by employers who support breastfeeding at the workplace are lowerhealth-care costs, less absenteeism, and higher productivity.

International labour standards set out breastfeeding breaks or a daily reduction of working time – that are counted as working time and remunerated accordingly – for mothers returning frommaternity leave. National legislation typically provides for one hour, usually divided into two 30-minute breaks per day.Breastfeeding facilities at the workplace are inexpensive and easy to set up.More and more employers understand the advantages of being breastfeeding-friendly, mother-friendly, and family-friendly – and are making the effort to become so, including throughdeveloping in-house policies.It is necessary to raise the awareness of policy-makers, trade unions, employers and others onthe need to support breastfeeding mothers, both in terms of time and financial allocations. Men asfathers and decision-makers have a critical role to play in supporting these efforts.HIV can be transmitted to infants through pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. WHO hasspecific recommendations regarding the prevention of transmission through breastfeeding. Theworkplace has a critical role to play in preventing mother-to-child-transmission and in supportingbreastfeeding practices in accordance with international guidelines.

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Maternidade Segura m10