Business Case for Breastfeeding

STEP 9. The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) maternity care and employment or, in the U.S., The US Business Case for Breastfeeding is promulgated by the government and the Chamber of Commerce (CoC) or equivalent.

Ten Steps to a Breastfeeding Family Friendly Community 

Supporting Lactating Employees During Covid-19 

Breastfeeding is one of the few immune boosters that we can currently offer to our infants during this global pandemic.  We also know breastfeeding rates increase dramatically with support.

  • Create a Clean & Safe Environment
  • Write a Policy
  • Support Each Other

Supporting Businesses 

Employers have gone to extraordinary measures to support and protect families. Connect families to a list of breastfeeding friendly businesses and organizations. Providing support for nursing families at work is good for business. Hundreds of companies provide lactation support programs as part of their family friendly benefit platform. They’ve learned that lactation accommodations produce a 3 to 1 return on investment which is attributed to:

  • Lower health care costs
  • Few missed days of work among both mothers and fathers,
  • Lower turnover rates
  • Improved employee productivity and loyalty.

Now more than ever, we all need to work together to keep families healthy and safe.  

Reaching Businesses

When building your stakeholder group, remember to connect with organizations that support the local business community. Here are some suggested organizations to get started.

  • Call or email your local Chamber of Commerce or locate the business directory on the Chamber of Commerce website.
  • Contact your local government Office of Business or Economic Development to connect with businesses in your community.
  • Reach out to the Rotary Club.

Reviewing Legislation

International Laws

The 16th International Review of Leave Policies and Related Research 2020 was published by the International Network on Leave Policies and Research. This research report provides a comparative review of paid leave policies in 45 countries and includes information on specific workplace provisions related to breastfeeding. (Koslowski, A., Blum, S., Dobrotić, I., Kaufman, G. and Moss, P. (2020) International Review of Leave Policies and Research 2020. Available at: http://www.leavenetwork.org/lp_and_r_reports/)

Current United States Laws

State Breastfeeding Laws

All fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have laws that specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location.

National Conference of State Legislatures

The National Conference of State Legislatures website provides information on the breastfeeding laws in all states. Visit the NCSL website to search for specific information about a state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Finding Resources

Pregnant@Work has created an online resource center to provide tools and educational materials for…

The Office of Women’s Health Business Case for Breastfeeding provides “a comprehensive program designed to educate employers about the value of supporting breastfeeding employees in the workplace” with information for employers and employees, such as…

Supporting Families

Planning Ahead

Planning ahead for your return to work can help ease the transition. Learn as much as you can before the baby’s birth, and talk with your employer about your options. Planning ahead can help you continue to enjoy breastfeeding your baby long after your maternity leave is over. Read more.

Challenging Environments

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