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Nursing moms can “make it work”: Implementing worksite lactation programs in unique industries
In June 2014, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health (OWH) launched Supporting Nursing Moms at Work: Employer Solutions (SNMW), an online resource providing information and tools for employers and human resource professionals to support nursing employees across industry sectors. Developed to assist employers following the Affordable Care Act provision requiring time and space for nursing moms, the resource offers creative solutions to time and space limitations.
Methods
OWH developed Web pages and databases for employers and nursing moms, including:
- Industry Solutions, offering unique ideas for specific businesses;
- Time and Space Solutions, providing permanent, flexible, and mobile space options, even when space is limited;
- Breastfeeding Support for Employees, leveraging OWH partners to offer structural, social, and emotional supports for individuals and their employers; and
- Success stories from employers and nursing moms who used the resource [not yet completed].
Results
In the first three months following the June 2014 SNMW launch, the webpage received nearly 60,000 views. Social media surrounding the resource generated over 14 million impressions, and traditional and online media garnered 130 million impressions. OWH is collecting additional data from employers who successfully implemented SNMW solutions, as well as nursing moms who benefited.
Conclusions
An environmental scan found few examples of successful worksite lactation programs for unique industries. We believe SNMW is the first worksite lactation program implementation resource designed with hourly workers in mind and will be influential in designing creative solutions for nursing moms across all industries, particularly those not previously conducive to breastfeeding success.
Learning Areas:
Occupational health and safetyPublic health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Learning Objectives:
Discuss strategies for successful employee-employer collaboration in tailoring worksite lactation programs to unique workplaces; and
Design effective worksite lactation programs, particularly for hourly workers.
Keyword(s): Breastfeeding, Workplace
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Ann Abercrombie is a program manager at the HHS Office on Womenâs Health (OWH), responsible for womenshealth.gov, girlshealth.gov, and the Officeâs toll free information and referral center. She has over a decade of experience working on breastfeeding programs, campaigns, and resources. Ms. Abercrombie has a master's degree in library service from Rutgers and a bachelor of arts degree in English from UNC-Chapel Hill.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.