Guidelines for
Supporting
Breastfeeding in the
Workplace
Prepared by Judith Galtry and Marcia Annandale
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES’ CONTESTABLE
FUND PROJECT
This document is part of a larger report:
Developing Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplaces in New Zealand: Case
Studies of United States and New Zealand Companies and Guidelines for
Supporting Breastfeeding in the Workplace
****************************************************************************
Guidelines for Supporting Breastfeeding in the
Workplace1
Prepared by Judith Galtry and Marcia Annandale
Introduction
This information for employers on establishing breastfeeding-friendly workplaces is
part of a wider report.2 Details of the background report on breastfeeding and
women’s employment can be accessed through the EEO Trust’s referral database. Go
to www.eeotrust.org.nz/information/data.shtml or phone 09 525 3023
Why is Support for Breastfeeding an Important EEO
Consideration for Employers?
The need to accommodate breastfeeding in the workplace is an important equal
employment opportunity and anti-discrimination consideration for employers for the
following reasons:
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Women’s labour market participation rates have been increasing over recent
decades. One of the biggest changes in recent years has been the rise in
employment among women with young children.3
Through smoothing the transition back to work, the introduction of workplace
policies and provisions to support breastfeeding may positively influence new
mothers’ workforce participation.4
In the absence of workplace support for breastfeeding many new mothers may
decide not to return to work following maternity leave/parental leave. This is
potentially costly for both employers and the women concerned.
Sometimes women take longer periods of maternity leave to breastfeed because
their workplaces do not accommodate breastfeeding. Again, this may be costly
both for women themselves in terms of possible loss of income, seniority and
opportunities for promotion and, for employers, in terms of finding and training
temporary replacements.5
It is generally recognised that organisations that recognise and support diversity
potentially benefit from a range of skills and experience.6 In its Diversity Survey,
the Equal Employment Opportunities Trust (EEO Trust) identified formal policies
and practices to support breastfeeding at work as among a range of measures that
encourage a diverse workforce within organisations.7 The EEO Trust has also
published information on how employers might best support breastfeeding.8
1
Breastfeeding Recommendations
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International and national recommendations advise exclusive breastfeeding (i.e.
breast milk without any additional fluid or food) for the first six months of a
child's life and continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond.9
It is critical that workplace policy and practice enable employed mothers to meet
these best practise recommendations, especially during both the first six months of
exclusive breastfeeding and the transition period to partial breastfeeding and
complementary feeding (when breastmilk is complemented with other agespecific foods).
It is also important that employers are reassured that the need to support
breastfeeding is a temporary and not an open-ended measure. The World Health
Organization advises that workplace support for breastfeeding mothers, including
breastfeeding breaks and facilities, should be made available for 12 months after
the birth of a child.10 After that time, mothers should be more easily able to
balance breastfeeding and employment.
Benefits of Breastfeeding for Infants, Mothers and Families
The Ministry of Health notes that breastfeeding is important for infant and young
child health because it:
 reduces the risk of infectious disease such as meningitis, gastro-enteritis,
respiratory and ear infections
 reduces the risk of food allergy
 may reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.11
The benefits of breastfeeding also include:
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convenience and ready availability with no heating required
low risk of bacterial contamination
low cost
less risk of over or under feeding
enhancement of eye and brain development
the bioavailability of nutrients.12
For mothers, the benefits include increased protection against:
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breast cancer.13
ovarian cancer.14
osteoporosis.15
Breastfeeding also offers women:
 a range of other less easily quantifiable advantages in terms of their own wellbeing and self-esteem
 enhanced bonding with their offspring.16
2
The parents of breastfed infants are also less likely to have to take time off work to
care for sick infants, as breastfed infants are less likely to be excluded from childcare
on account of illness.17
Benefits for Businesses from Supporting Breastfeeding
Supporting breastfeeding among employees is generally a low cost intervention for
employers involving minimal disruption to the workplace.18 Research also indicates
that there are potential benefits for employers associated with supporting
breastfeeding. These include:
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Improved retention of female employees after maternity leave, thereby retaining
valuable employee skills and experience and lessening recruitment and retraining
costs.
Earlier return to work by some new mothers.
Easier transition back to work following maternity leave.
Lower employee absenteeism rates on account of improved child health.
Improved employer-employee relations and greater employee loyalty.
Enhanced employee morale and productivity.
Improved company image.19
The Importance of Workplace Support for Breastfeeding
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If a mother is unable to breastfeed or express milk regularly, her supply will
gradually diminish, often resulting in early termination of breastfeeding.20
Mastitis (breast inflammation) and its pathological progression (infection and
abscess) often occur if the mother is unable to breastfeed or express milk
frequently.21
Stress and fatigue also make mothers more vulnerable to mastitis and are often
described as problematic by employed mothers.
To encourage breastfeeding and help minimise the incidence of mastitis and early
weaning employers can introduce provisions for breastfeeding/breastmilk
expression breaks, as well as flexible or shortened hours.22
As a temporary measure, enabling breastfeeding mothers to work more flexible
hours in the early weeks and months following childbirth may also reduce worker
absenteeism due to child illness and conditions such as mastitis.
Examples of New Zealand Businesses that Support
Breastfeeding
In New Zealand, the EEO Trust has publicised support for breastfeeding employees as
an important family-friendly and EEO concern. As part of this advocacy, it has
presented awards to a number of New Zealand enterprises whose policies include
those supportive of breastfeeding workers.
3
In 1998, Coopers & Lybrand won the EEO Trust’s Work & Family Award for large
organisations. Coopers & Lybrand’s work and family initiatives include several
provisions that are supportive of breastfeeding workers:
 parental leave and special leave provisions which offer staff greater benefits than
those required by legislation.
 flexible working practices, including part-time work, compressed work weeks,
job-sharing and teleworking.
 family-friendly facilities, including a room for breastfeeding and expressing milk
 designated carparks for pregnant staff members and those returning from parental
leave. (This provision also potentially supports employees needing to transport
expressed breastmilk (EBM) to home or caregiver, as well as those caregivers
bringing in the employee’s infant to be breastfed).
In 2000, the EEO’s Trust’s Large Organizations Award went to Merck, Sharp &
Dohme (New Zealand) Ltd., which includes among its family-friendly provisions a
breastfeeding/breastmilk expression facility for breastfeeding mothers. In the same
year, lawfirm Hesketh Henry won the Trust’s Beginners Award Joint Winner. It also
provides a private room for mothers to express milk and/or breastfeed. In 2002, the
Trust’s First Steps Award went to Kapiti Coast District Council, which has available,
among other work-life benefits, a room for breastfeeding or time-out.
Other organisations with provisions/policies/programs supportive of breastfeeding
include:
 Shell, which introduced a breastfeeding policy covering both breastfeeding and
breastmilk expression in order to increase staff retention rates.
 Price-Waterhouse Coopers.23
 ANZ Banking Group.
 Stagecoach New Zealand Inc.
 Auckland City.24
Developing a Policy for Breastfeeding Support in the Workplace
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Businesses need to consider adopting a breastfeeding policy that meets the needs
of employees while also taking account of workplace conditions.
This policy could be made available in the same way as other workplace policies,
such as those concerning family-friendly provisions and sexual harassment.
Human resources personnel, managers and immediate supervisors need to be
educated about and made aware of the policy.
This policy could also be made available, along with general information about
parental leave entitlements and other work-family balancing measures, to all
employees announcing their pregnancy (rather than at commencement of
maternity leave) so they can plan accordingly.
The policy may need to be tailored to meet the specific conditions of the
workplace, but would, ideally, include appropriate provisions for the three
essential components for breastfeeding support: time, space and support.
Breastfeeding/breastmilk expression breaks may need to be negotiated with regard
to both their frequency and whether they are paid or not. This may require
negotiations between the employer and an employee or their representative that
takes account of both employee and organisational needs.
4
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Breastfeeding breaks are commonly for 30 minutes twice daily or 20 minutes
three times daily. However, some employees may prefer to opt for a longer
lunchbreak combined with another shorter break.
The policy might also include various employment flexibility options to enable the
employee to phase back to full-time work following leave, including part-time
work, job sharing and/or flexi-time.
Businesses may wish to consider translating the policy into Maori and other
languages spoken by those in the workplace.
Implementation of Policy
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As with any policy, mechanisms are required to ensure that it is implemented, as
well as regularly monitored and evaluated so as to assess its use and effectiveness.
Some of the biggest obstacles to implementation of the policy relate to negative
attitudes about breastfeeding and lack of understanding about the necessary
requirements to support it among key workplace personnel. In particular,
emphasis needs to be placed on raising awareness of the needs and requirements
of breastfeeding employees among human resources personnel, supervisors and
managers.
Supervisors and managers should be presented with a copy of the policy so they
can offer breastfeeding employees the necessary support and also educate coworkers.
In its publication Balancing Breastfeeding and Work, the Australian government
includes a sample Breastfeeding Policy Statement for Workplaces.25 With permission,
this has been reproduced here, albeit with some minor changes.
5
Breastfeeding Policy Statement for Workplaces
This organisation, …………….recognises the importance of breastfeeding for both
mother and infant and supports, protects and promotes breastfeeding.
This organisation provides facilities and the support necessary to enable mothers in
their employment to balance breastfeeding/breastmilk expression with their work.
Provision of facilities and support includes:
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Breastfeeding/breastmilk expression breaks. There is flexibility for mothers to
take breaks for breastfeeding/expressing breastmilk during their workday. These
can be negotiated between the mother (or her employee representative) and her
supervisor.
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A clean, private room with power point, lockable door, comfortable chair, table,
hand washing facilities, (where possible refrigerator), and breast pump storage
area.
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Access to breastfeeding resources. Employees who are pregnant or considering
pregnancy will be provided with information about this policy along with policies
on maternity leave/parental leave and about balancing breastfeeding and work.
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Flexible work options. A mother (or her employee representative) can negotiate
flexible work options (such as flex-time, part-time, home-based work) with her
supervisor taking into account both the employee’s and organisation’s needs.
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All staff are made aware of this policy.
6
Assessing, Monitoring and Evaluating Workplace Support for
Breastfeeding
How Breastfeeding-Friendly is your Workplace?
The Australian Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA)
recommends a series of questions businesses can look at in order to analyse workplace
support for pregnant and breastfeeding workers.26 These include:
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Identifying how many women in your workplace are pregnant, on maternity leave,
or newly returned and breastfeeding an infant.
Consulting with employees about these issues.
Examining current policies and practices relating to pregnancy, potential
pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Specific questions relating to breastfeeding include:
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Can employees continue to breastfed after they have returned to work?
Does the organisation provide a hygienic place for the employee to express milk?
Are women confident that they will not be treated less favourably as a result of
being pregnant or breastfeeding? Is the response similar for women of different
backgrounds (e.g. culturally diverse women, disabled women)?
Do pregnant and breastfeeding employees experience promotion or access to other
benefits at a similar rate as other employees?
Is there a mechanism for employees to make formal complaints in relation to
discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy or breastfeeding?
Are employees who access maternity leave returning from leave in your
workplace?
Do women on maternity leave return to at least equivalent positions?
Are women still with the organisation six months after returning from maternity
leave? A year later?
Would your polices, procedures and decisions about women who are pregnant,
potentially pregnant or breastfeeding withstand the rigour of review by an
independent third party?
The EOWA advise employers to:
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Review people management policies to ensure they are inclusive of pregnant and
breastfeeding workers.
Develop a policy that supports breastfeeding in their workplace.
Conduct a focus group with female staff to identify the challenges and
opportunities for improving the workplace for pregnant and breastfeeding
women, including women of different cultural and religious backgrounds.
Conduct a safety audit of the work environment to ensure that it is safe for
pregnant and breastfeeding employees and for co-workers whose jobs may be
changed as a result of changes in tasks.
Review maternity leave statistics – time off, return rates, return modes such as
full-time or part-time work.
7
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Ensure mothers have flexible return to work options such as part-time jobs and
job sharing so they can continue breastfeeding.
 Involve managers and occupational health and safety staff in planning policies,
procedures and measures to support pregnant and breastfeeding workers.
 Ensure pregnant and breastfeeding employees can access the same training and
professional development as their colleagues.
 Develop a parental leave information kit that includes a policy on breastfeeding
support and communicate these policies and procedures to all staff, including
through training forums.
Occupational Safety and Health Guidelines on Breastfeeding27
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As in all areas of the workplace employers must identify, assess and control
occupational hazards for their breastfeeding employees.
Not all workplaces are appropriate for infants because of occupational health and
safety concerns. These issues would be a matter for negotiation between
occupational safety and health personnel and the employer and employee.
If the lactating mother is exposed to a hazard, she must be given the option of
suitable alternative work until breastfeeding ceases. For instance, there is
documented evidence of exposure to organic and inorganic lead and mercury from
breastmilk that has affected normal child development.
In some situations, advice may need to be sought from an appropriate
occupational health and safety professional or the woman's lead maternity carer.
Both pregnancy and lactation are normal functions in women’s reproductive lives
and should generally not prevent them from doing anything unless medically
indicated or deemed hazardous.
When an infant or young child is brought into the workplace for breastfeeding the
mother should be enabled to do so in the designated area/s provided the workplace
is safe for children.
Storing Expressed Breastmilk (EBM) in the Workplace
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According to occupational safety and health definitions, breastmilk is classified as
a food and not as a body fluid and thus does not require universal precautions for
handling body fluids, including special handling or storage.
Where mothers are expressing and/or pumping breastmilk in the workplace, only
basic good food-handling techniques are required, such as clean hands and clean
equipment.
Expressed breastmilk (EBM) can be stored along with other foods in a common
refrigerator at the workplace and at childcare facilities. No special precautions are
required other than the need for it to be stored in clearly labelled and firmly sealed
containers.28
Where fellow staff are resistant to the idea of mothers’ milk collection or if
mothers themselves are sensitive to comment an inconspicuous outer container
can be used for storage in the fridge.
If the workplace does not have a fridge or if storing EBM in the communal fridge
is problematic, a small chilly bin or container with blue ice (frozen gel packs used
for cooling chillybins) is a suitable alternative.
8
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In some situations, employees may object to breastmilk being stored with other
foodstuffs. For instance, for some ethnic and religious groups, it may be culturally
unacceptable to have human milk stored in the same fridge as other foodstuffs. In
these situations, an occupational health nurse or breastfeeding specialist, such as a
Plunket Society Kaiawhina, should discuss the issue with both management and
employees. (This issue is more fully discussed in the background report that
accompanies these guidelines).
Recommendations for Employers for Establishing
Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplaces
Routinely provide the three essential elements for helping women to combine work
and breastfeeding or breastmilk maintenance. These are Time, Space, and Support.
Key initiatives by employers to assist breastfeeding employees include:
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Consider extending parental leave to employees that are not eligible for statutory
parental leave.
Enable breastfeeding employees to gradually phase-in to the workplace following
leave, including through flexible hours (including starting and finishing times
around core working hours), job sharing, and part-time work.
Offer employees the option of working from home, where appropriate.
Introduce and implement two 30 minute (or three 20 minute) daily
breastfeeding/breastmilk expression breaks. Offer the option of an extended lunch
hour or reduced hours at either end of the workday as a substitute for breaks where
appropriate. (The issue of payment for breaks should be negotiated between the
employer and employee or employee representative).
Establish facilities for breastfeeding/breastmilk expression. (These do not have to
be sterile, only clean).
Permit the infant to be brought into the workplace to be breastfed, where
appropriate.
Develop and implement a workplace policy on breastfeeding. Ensure that all staff
are made aware of this policy.
Inform pregnant employees about these policies at the time parental/maternity
leave is requested rather than at the time of return to work from leave.
Educate key personnel, including managers, supervisors and HR personnel, about
supporting and respecting the needs of breastfeeding workers.
Be aware that there may be areas of resistance and attempt to identify and address
these.
Make available information such as the Ministry of Health’s booklet
Breastfeeding and Working29 in information kits for new parents.
If workplaces are unable to provide a spare room, a first aid or sick room can be used
for this purpose. However, in some situations where it is not feasible for individual
businesses to set aside a room, several businesses that are in close physical proximity
(e.g. if they are located in the same premises) might consider pooling resources to
9
establish a breastfeeding/breastmilk expression room.30 Alternatively, a section of a
larger office may be temporarily screened off for these purposes if a private space is
difficult to arrange. It is important that employers/HR personnel do not recommend
the use of toilets for expressing breastmilk. This is not only unsanitary but is also in
violation of occupational safety and health regulations.
It is also important that employers assist breastfeeding workers with childcare needs,
where appropriate. The issue of proximity to childcare is important. If there is no
childcare onsite or nearby employers might consider permitting infants to be bought
into the workplace by a caregiver to be breastfed and providing a room/space suitable
for this purpose. The employer might also consider sponsoring/subsidising childcare
and providing assistance with finding nearby childcare.
Facilities to support breastfeeding/breastmilk expression in the workplace include:
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A clean and private room (not a bathroom, toilet or closet) or a screened area in
which mothers can either express breastmilk or breastfeed their infants.
A table (on which to place a breast pump).
A comfortable chair.
One or two electrical outlets for electric breastpumps.
Sink with running water to wash hands and breast pump equipment.
A small refrigerator (although breastmilk can be stored in a container with blue ice
or safely stored at room temperatures for up to 8 hours if refrigeration is
unavailable).
Other helpful provisions include:
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Small lockable cupboard (for employees needing to store breastpumps and milk
collection equipment).
Appropriate, accurate and current information folder.
Contacts for in-house assistance (e.g. Occupational Safety and Health Nurse
Nurse).
Contacts for mothers’ support groups and information regarding referral to
breastfeeding specialists for lactation care plans or consultations. These may be
included as part of new parents’ information kits.
Regular employee satisfaction and evaluation surveys that take account of the
needs of breastfeeding employees.
Leniency during crisis times or during infant’s accelerated growth periods.
Utilising a breastfeeding specialist to give occasional lunchtime talks on how best
to combine breastfeeding and employment and, where appropriate, to consult with
individual employees who are planning to breastfeed or experiencing difficulties
combining breastfeeding and employment.
10
Guidelines for Employees on Handling, Storing and Preparing
Expressed Breastmilk (EBM)1
Mothers expressing/pumping milk for healthy babies are advised to:
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Wash hands before expressing.
Use clean containers. Glass or hard plastic with single piece screw caps are ideal.
Date the container from the first milk entered.
Where possible, store milk in a fridge (see time below) rather than freezing it, as
fresh milk requires less processing and handling.
Use a separate container each pumping session. Fresh milk batches can be
combined once cooled and refrigerated milk can be added to frozen milk so long
as the amount added is smaller than the amount already frozen to avoid thawing.
Where possible, store EBM in single feed amounts to minimise waste.
How to Store the Milk
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at room temperature if necessary (19-22C) for up to 10 hours.
in a refrigerator (0-4C) for up to 8 days.
in a freezer compartment inside a refrigerator (variable temperature due to the
door opening frequently) for up to 2 weeks.
in a self-contained freezer compartment with a separate door (variable temperature
due to the door opening frequently) for up to 3 to 4 months.
in a separate deep freeze (-19C) for up to 6 months or longer.
How to Warm the Milk
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Heat refrigerated milk in hot tap water.
Thaw frozen milk under warm running water then heat in hot tap water. (Frozen
milk can be thawed in the refrigerator and used within 24 hours).
Warmed leftovers can be used within 4 hours or discarded.
Do not use a microwave oven or overheat breastmilk as valuable components can
be destroyed.
Gently swirl heated breastmilk and test the temperature before feeding.
1
The following information has been collected from a range of sources, including La Leche League
International’s website, the Nursing Mothers’ Association of Australia’s factsheets and the New
Zealand Ministry of Health.
11
Sources of Information about Breastfeeding and Employment
Employment and Human Rights
Employment Relations Infoline (Department of Labour)
Call Free 0800 800863
Website www.ers.dol.govt.nz
Provides information about relevant legislation and policies, including the 1987
Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act, 2000 Employment Relations Act and
occupational safety and health legislation and regulations.
New Zealand Human Rights Commission Infoline
Call Free 0800 496-877
Website www.hrc.co.nz
Provides information about the Human Rights Act, other relevant legislation and
general human rights concerns.
Equal Employment Opportunities Trust
www.eeotrust.org.nz
Provides information about work-life balance and family-friendly workplaces.
Breastfeeding Information and Support
New Zealand Lactation Consultants’ Association
P.O. Box 29-279
Christchurch
La Leche League New Zealand Ltd.
National HQ. Wellington (04) 471-0690
Or local branch of La Leche League (listed in the phone book).
La Leche League International
Website: http://www.lalecheleague.org
Provides a good source of information regarding expressing and storing breastmilk.
The Balancing Act is a new pamphlet by LLLI (reference # 1165-17) that addresses
issues “many working mothers face including milk expression and storage, support,
and includes a section of resources and products”.
Australian Breastfeeding Association (formerly Nursing Mothers’ Association of
Australia)
Website: http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au
Webpages specific to breastfeeding and working:
http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/canwork.html
Literature specific to breastfeeding and employment includes:
12
Mother Friendly Workplace Initiative Sheet
The Caregivers’ Guide to the Breastfed Baby
Expression and Storing Breastmilk
Breastfeeding, women and work
Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Accreditation
Information Booklet
http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/mfwp.html#what
New Zealand Ministry of Health
Website: http://www.moh.govt.nz
Provides several publications on breastfeeding, including a free pamphlet on
combining breastfeeding and work.
Maternity Consumer Enquiries: Callfree 0800 68 62 23
Royal New Zealand Plunket Society
Plunket Line Call Free 0800 933 922
Plunket On-line www.plunket.org.nz
Local Plunket clinics listed in phone book.
World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action
Website: http://www.waba.org.br
WebPages specific to breastfeeding and employment
International Lactation Consultants’ Association
Website: http://www.ilca.org
WebPages specific to breastfeeding and employment.
IBFAN (International Baby Food Action Network)
IBFAN Resource Center website http://www.ibfan.org/english/resource00.html
The Working Cow
Website: http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/4092/
Australian Federal Government Online Publications
Balancing breastfeeding and working.
Balancing breastfeeding and work :Booklet (pdf file 272Kb) Balancing breastfeeding and work: Poster (pdf file 127Kb)
Balancing breastfeeding and work: Pamphlet (pdf file 56Kb) - featuring key issues on
combining breastfeeding and paid work
Non-English Language materials
Australian Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA).
(2002). Employment Matter Guidelines: Arrangements for dealing with pregnancy,
potential pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Free to download from www.eowa.gov.au
13
Breastfeeding Solutions
Marcia Annandale (IBCLC)
16 Shannon Pl.,
Christchurch 8005
NEW Zealand
Ph: +64 3 323-7124; Fax: +64 3 323-7179
Cell: 021 128-6685
Working and Breastfeeding - Diane Wiessinger
http://www.lightlink.com/hilinda/Diane/workingandbf.html
Harvard University’s Global Reproductive Health Forum
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/Organizations/healthnet/maternal/topic14d.html
WebPages on breastfeeding and employment.
Books on Breastfeeding and Employment
Bernshaw, N. (1996). A Mother’s Guide to Milk Expression and Breast Pumps.
Schaumburg, Illinois: La Leche League International. Publication No. 30.
Dana, N. & Price, A. (1987). The Working Woman’s Guide to Breastfeeding. New
York: Meadowbrook.
Mohrbacher, N. & Stocker, J. (1997). The Breastfeeding Answer Book. Schaumburg,
Illinois: La Leche League International. (Chapter Nine focuses on the Expression and
Storage of Human Milk).
Pryor, G. (1997). Nursing Mother, Working Mother. Harvard Common Pr.
1
This project was awarded to Dr Judith Galtry through the Equal Employment Opportunities’
Contestable Fund administered by the Department of Labour and Ministry of Women's Affairs.
2
Galtry, J. & Annandale, M. (2003). Developing Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplaces in New Zealand:
Case Studies of United States and New Zealand Companies and Guidelines for Supporting
Breastfeeding in the Workplace. Report prepared for the Equal Employment Opportunities Contestable
Fund. Wellington: Department of Labour. (Stage Two of this project consists of a small-scale,
exploratory study examining support for breastfeeding within two New Zealand childcare centres and
outlining a set of preliminary, draft guidelines for “breastfeeding-friendly” childcare. Galtry, J. &
Farquhar, S. (2003). Developing Breastfeeding-Friendly Childcare to Support Mothers in Paid
Employment and Studying: Case Studies of Two Centres and Draft Guidelines for Supporting
Breastfeeding in Childcare. Project prepared for the Equal Employment Opportunities Contestable
Fund. Wellington: Department of Labour).
3
Census 2000 data obtained from Statistics New Zealand; Statistics New Zealand. (1999). New
Zealand now - Women (Census 96) (1998) - Reference reports. Wellington: Statistics New Zealand.
4
Galtry, J. (2000). Policies and practices to support breastfeeding in the workplace. Background
paper prepared for the World Health Organisation/UNICEF Technical Consultation on Infant and
Young Child Feeding, 13-17 March. Geneva: World Health Organisation.
14
5
Australian Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA). (2002). Employment
Matter Guidelines: Arrangements for dealing with pregnancy, potential pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Free to download from www.eowa.gov.au;
6
Australian Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency. (2002). Ibid.
7
EEO Trust. (2002a). EEO Trust Diversity Index 2002 Summary. Auckland: EEO Trust.
http://www.eeotrust.org.nz/information/pdfs/trustsummary02.pdf
8
EEO Trust. (2002b). “Breastmilk is best: How can workplaces help?” Work & Life Bulletin,
December. Auckland: EEO Trust.
9
Ministry of Health. (2002). Breastfeeding: A guide to action. Wellington: Ministry of Health; World
Health Organization. (2002). Infant and young child nutrition. Fifty-Fifth World Health Assembly, 16
April 2002. Geneva: World Health Organization
10
World Health Organization. (1997). WHO’s Contribution to the International Labour
Organization’s Law and Practice Report on Maternity Protection. Geneva: World Health
Organization.
11
Ministry of Health. (2000). Guidelines for healthy infants and toddlers (Aged 0–2 Years). A
Background Paper. Wellington: Ministry of Health.
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/7004be0c19a98f8a4c25692e007bf833/d755f603abd677cb4c256671
00062841/$FILE/fnghit2.pdf
12
Ibid.
13
Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer. (2002). “Breast cancer and
breastfeeding: Collaborative reanalysis of individual data from 47 epidemiological studies in 30
countries, including 50302 women with breast cancer and 96973 women without the disease.” Lancet
360 (9328): 203-210; Newcomb, P.A. et al. (1994). “Lactation and a reduced risk of premenopausal
breast cancer.” New England Journal of Medicine 330(2): 81-87.
14
Gwinn, M.L. et al. (1990). “Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and oral contraceptives and the risk of
epithelial ovarian cancer.” Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 43(6): 559-568; Siskind, V. et al. (1997).
“Breastfeeding, menopause, and epithelial ovarian cancer.” Epidemiology 8(2): 188-191.
15
Blaauw, R. et al. (1994). “Risk factors for the development of osteoporosis in a South African
population.” South African Medical Journal 84: 328-332.
16
Labbok, M. (2001). “Effects of breastfeeding on the mother.” Pediatric Clinics of North America
48(1): 143-158.
17
Jones, E.G. & Matheny, R.J. (1993). “Relationship between infant feeding and exclusion rate from
child care because of illness.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 93(7): 809-811.
18
Australian Federal Government. (2000). Balancing breastfeeding and work: Important information
for workplaces. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia; Tyler, K. (1999). “Got milk?” HR magazine
44(3): 68-73.
19
Cohen, R. & Mrtek, M.B. (1994). “The impact of two corporate lactation programs on the incidence
and duration of breast-feeding by employed mothers.” American Journal of Health Promotion 8: 436441; Cohen, R., Mrtek, M.B. & Mrtek, R.G. (1995). “Comparison of maternal absenteeism and infant
illness rates among breast-feeding and formula-feeding women in two corporations.” American
Journal of Health Promotion 10: 148-153; Shalowitz, D. (1993). “Lactation program speeds mothers’
return to work.” Business Insurance 27: 2; Smith, J. (2003). “How employers can profit from
breastfeeding: Estimates of financial gains to employers supporting breastfeeding by mothers in
employment.” Unpublished manuscript.
20
Auerbach, K.G. (1999). “Maternal employment and breastfeeding,” In Riordan, J. & Auerbach,
K.G., (Eds). Breastfeeding and human lactation (second edition), (pp. 577-600). Sudbury, MA.: Jones
and Bartlett.
21
World Health Organization. (2000). Mastitis: Causes and management. Department of Child and
Adolescent Health and Development. Geneva, World Health Organization (WHO/FCH/CAH/00.13).
22
Ibid.
23
Lusk, B., Rakuraku, M. & Samu, L. (2000). Recommendations on breastfeeding promotion.
Unpublished paper prepared for the New Zealand Health Funding Authority.
24
Galtry & Annandale, 2003. Ibid.
25
Australian Federal Government. (2000). Ibid.
26
Australian Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency. (2002). Ibid.
27
New Zealand Occupational Safety and Health Service. 1997. Occupational Safety and Health
Service: Report on new and expectant mothers at work. Wellington: Department of Labour.
28
Ibid. In the United States, similar guidelines are issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and
the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and supported by the American
15
Academy of Paediatrics and American Public Health Association in their joint guidelines for childcare
facilities.
29
Ministry of Health. (2001). Breastfeeding and working (free leaflet). Wellington: Ministry of
Health.
30
EEO Trust. (2002b). Ibid.
16