Business Case for Breastfeeding

STEP 7: The businesses and organizations in the community welcome chest/breastfeeding families.

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 Customers, Members, and Patrons

Businesses and organizations play a vital role in helping nursing families feel welcome in their communities. Businesses, and even organizations, are more than employers, they are community partners. Families look to chest/breastfeeding friendly businesses to shop, dine, learn, and engage in the community. It’s important for businesses and community organizations to go beyond allowing breastfeeding to welcoming breastfeeding. And it’s the law!

Community Partner Affirmations

When speaking with businesses and organizations, we recommend that they affirm the following affirmations:

  • Breastfeeding families are always welcome and respected. Families will never be treated poorly, asked to stop nursing, or asked to cover up or move.
  • They do NOT advertise infant formula or related products.
  • They support all breastfeeding, chestfeeding, and human milk feeding families inclusive of their race, ethnicity, immigration status, nationality, creed, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, family structure, primary language, ability, or class.

Welcoming Families

Businesses and organizations should go beyond legal requirements to welcome and invite in breastfeeding, chestfeeding, and human milk feeding families. Breastfeeding is one of the few immune boosters that we can offer to our infants against respiratory infections. We also know that breastfeeding rates increase dramatically with support.

  • Post a welcoming sign.
  • Create a clean & safe environment
  • Write a policy.
  • Apply for a local or state designation.

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 Guidelines

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…

The “Breastfeeding: Making it Work Toolkit” is a valuable resource for New York worksites interested in supporting breastfeeding employees. Developed by the WIC Works Resource System, this toolkit offers practical guidance and strategies to create a breastfeeding-friendly environment in the workplace.

Supporting Families

Planning Ahead

Remind parents and families to plan ahead for their return to work, this can help ease the transition. Many parents find it helpful to learn as much as they can before their baby’s birth, and talk with their employer about their options. Planning ahead can help parents continue to enjoy breastfeeding and human milk feeding their babies long after maternity leave is over. Read more.

Challenging Environments

View more helpful breastfeeding and human milk feeding information on Office on Women’s Health and Healthy Children

Please contact us with any feedback or questions.