Establishing a workplace lactation program at a large university in New Orleans

Working and attending school outside the home are associated with low breastfeeding initiation and duration rates. However, research shows that workplace lactation programs promote breastfeeding duration and benefit employers financially. The Tulane University Breastfeeding Program (TUBP) was established to advance the implementation of lactation spaces and supportive policies across the university campus. The overarching goal of this program is to promote healthy infant feeding in the university community. Spearheaded by dedicated faculty members, the first room for breastfeeding and pumping was established in 2004. Over the next years, student interns participated in a focused advocacy effort to increase lactation rooms and support from the university administration. Currently, there are eight lactation sites on four of Tulane's campuses, within four different schools. Dedicated staff support now manages the program with continual student support, particularly for marketing, website design, and maintenance of the lactation rooms. Further, representatives from five different departments support the program as advisers. Finding and engaging key supporters and decision makers interested in assisting this initiative was crucial to its success. Representatives from the Provost's Office and other departments across the campuses were especially helpful in locating and designating appropriate lactation space. By establishing support for breastfeeding women, Tulane, as the largest employer in New Orleans and one of the five largest employers in Louisiana, serves as a leader, educator and role model in the community.