City-wide Policy Changes That Facilitate Breastfeeding Success

Background

Historically, Philadelphia’s breastfeeding initiation and duration rates have always been very low compared to State and National levels. In 1997, Philadelphia became the first US city to legally protect a woman's right to breastfeed in public. This was an important step to support breastfeeding families, but more significant efforts were needed for improved breastfeeding and infant health outcomes.

Methods

Breastfeeding advocacy efforts intensified in Philadelphia by launching the Breastfeeding Friendly Philadelphia campaign as a part of Philadelphia Department of Health’s Get Healthy Philly initiative. The community-based organization created an innovative program that supports breastfeeding in workplaces by promoting city-wide the extensive breastfeeding support benefits within the business community  and helping employers create breastfeeding friendly work sites.

Results

Other advocacy organizations and city officials joined the breastfeeding movement leading to the Worksite Lactation Support Policy for City of Philadelphia employees, issued in 2011. Recently, Breastfeeding Accommodation Bill No. 130922, mandating workplace breastfeeding support for all (non-exempt/exempt) nursing employees in the city of Philadelphia, was passed.

Conclusion

This collaborative and systematic approach successfully added essential job protections for working mothers and their families. This legislation not only protects their right to express breast milk in an appropriate and safe environment, but more importantly supports mothers in achieving their breastfeeding goals so that the health and societal benefits of breastfeeding can be experienced across a large, urban environment. The poster will outline the advocacy efforts and activities that eventually lead to the signage of the Breastfeeding Accommodation Bill No. 130922.