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Making It Work: Supporting Lactating Families

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What is Making It Work?

Making It Work is program promoting lactation-friendly policies in businesses and worksites within the community. It uses evidence-based strategies that are proven to lower infant mortality rates, improve birth outcomes and improve the overall health status of children ages birth to five. Breastfeeding is a well-documented preventive health measure and one of the best modalities available to healthcare providers to reduce the risk of common causes of infant mortality in the US and globally. Using the Making it Work: Empowering Employers and Mothers program, our goal is to increase the number of businesses and worksites that are breastfeeding-friendly for patrons and employees.

Participating organizations create a lactation-friendly community by setting up spaces to increase lactation accessibility. We are excited to let employers and church leaders know of this excellent opportunity to increase employee and member satisfaction while complying with federal law. 

Join Every Baby Guilford’s effort to promote and support lactation-friendly businesses and places of worship in the Guilford County community!

Lactation accommodations at work produce a 3 to 1 return on investment.

Research shows that supporting lactation in the workplace benefits the company providing accommodations. Employer benefits include lower healthcare costs, reduced absences, lower turnover rates, and improved productivity and employee loyalty. Employees with lactation support are happier and healthier.

Individual health benefits for the parent include:
  • Faster recovery after delivery
  • Reduced risk of postpartum mood disorders
  • May be less likely to develop breast or ovarian cancer
  • May be less likely to develop type 2 diabetes & cardiovascular disease
Individual health benefits for the baby include:
  • Fewer ear & respiratory infections
  • Fewer digestive problems & constipation
  • Less likely to become obese
  • Less likely to develop cancer or diabetes in their lifetime
  • Less likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Accommodating lactation at work is the law.

Federal regulations require all employers to provide employees with a few basic accommodations. That includes reasonable break time to express breast milk for up to 1 year after giving birth, and a private place that is shielded from view and free of intrusion from others. This space also can't be a bathroom.

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A Business Approach to Lactation

  • Openly discuss the needs of lactating people in the workplace.
  • Develop a plan to address those needs.
  • Review your company policies and revise them as needed.
  • Contact community resources for assistance.
  • Identify space and time options that comply with the law.
  • Train supervisors and co-workers on the laws & company policies.
  • Promote your lactation support services.
 How can you get started?
  • Familiarize yourself and your business with the Making It Work Toolkit.
  • Assess your readiness for being a lactation-friendly business/organization.
  • Create (or review) and adopt a lactation policy.
  • Complete the lactation-friendly survey.
Every Baby Guilford

 
The Making It Work program is managed by Every Baby Guilford, a collective action movement building collaborative solutions within the community to disrupt longstanding health outcomes and racial disparities in Guilford County. Learn More

For more information or to get involved, contact Leandra Vernon, Jada Rogers, or Marketa Baker.