INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION Conditions of Work and Employment Programme (TRAVAIL) 2012 Module 10: Breastfeeding arrangements at work Maternity Protection Resource Package From Aspiration to Reality for All

MATERNITY PROTECTION RESOURCE PACKAGE. FROM ASPIRATION TO REALITY FOR ALL Part 2: MATERNITY PROTECTION AT WORK IN DEPTH: THE CORE ELEMENTS Mod. 10 Breastfeeding arrangements at work Key contents This module discusses the importance of breastfeeding, the challenges of continuing breastfeeding upon return to work, legislation and practical tools that can help to facilitate continued breastfeeding for mothers returning to paid work. It includes the following: 1  The benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and their babies, employers and society  International standards and national legislation supporting breastfeeding for mothers in paid work  Practical measures for supporting breastfeeding for mothers in paid work  Considerations regarding breastfeeding and HIV and the roles that workplace stakeholders can play in diminishing the transmission of HIV to infants through breastfeeding (PMTCT)

MATERNITY PROTECTION RESOURCE PACKAGE. FROM ASPIRATION TO REALITY FOR ALL Part 2: MATERNITY PROTECTION AT WORK IN DEPTH: THE CORE ELEMENTS Mod. 10 Breastfeeding arrangements at work 2 Breastfeeding is: Advantages and benefits of breastfeeding  An unequalled way of providing food and care for the healthy growth and development of infants and young children  An integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers  Necessary to avoid both short- and long-term risks for mothers and children  An exclusive feeding practice and is a suitable option for many HIV-positive mothers, especially in the presence of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs)

MATERNITY PROTECTION RESOURCE PACKAGE. FROM ASPIRATION TO REALITY FOR ALL Part 2: MATERNITY PROTECTION AT WORK IN DEPTH: THE CORE ELEMENTS Mod. 10 Breastfeeding arrangements at work 3 Breastfeeding after returning to work Work is one of the main reasons that working women stop breastfeeding. For many women, the lack of workplace support for breastfeeding makes working incompatible with breastfeeding. Yet, supporting breastfeeding at work:  is a low cost intervention for employers  involves minimal disruption to the workplace  brings benefits for employers including higher retention rates lower employee absenteeism rates on account of improved child health lower health care costs enhanced employee morale and productivity and improved company image

MATERNITY PROTECTION RESOURCE PACKAGE. FROM ASPIRATION TO REALITY FOR ALL Part 2: MATERNITY PROTECTION AT WORK IN DEPTH: THE CORE ELEMENTS Mod. 10 Breastfeeding arrangements at work 4 Supporting breastfeeding and work: Breastfeeding breaks Breastfeeding or nursing breaks are short periods that are reserved during the workday to breastfeed one’s child or express milk to be fed later to the child Convention No. 183 calls for:  The right to one or more daily breaks or a reduction in working time for the purpose of breastfeeding  The length and number of breaks to be decided nationally  Nursing breaks are to be counted as working time and remunerated

MATERNITY PROTECTION RESOURCE PACKAGE. FROM ASPIRATION TO REALITY FOR ALL Part 2: MATERNITY PROTECTION AT WORK IN DEPTH: THE CORE ELEMENTS Mod. 10 Breastfeeding arrangements at work 5 Supporting breastfeeding and work: Breastfeeding facilities  Recommendation No. 191 encourages breastfeeding facilities at the workplace  Breastfeeding facilities or nursing rooms are simply a place where a worker can feed her baby or express her milk  These facilities should be clean, have clean water and privacy  More than 20 countries have legislation for the provision of such facilities  They are inexpensive to set up, and can consist of only a conveniently located small clean space with a chair, access to clean water and a screen for privacy  More elaborate facilities can have a refrigerator and an outlet for an electric pump

Mod. 10 MATERNITY PROTECTION RESOURCE PACKAGE. FROM ASPIRATION TO REALITY FOR ALL Part 2: MATERNITY PROTECTION AT WORK IN DEPTH: THE CORE ELEMENTS Breastfeeding arrangements at work 6 Other ways to support breastfeeding and work Other elements can help to support breastfeeding at work, such as:  Proper information  Support from colleagues  Flexible working time  Childcare facilities  A breastfeeding policy

MATERNITY PROTECTION RESOURCE PACKAGE. FROM ASPIRATION TO REALITY FOR ALL Part 2: MATERNITY PROTECTION AT WORK IN DEPTH: THE CORE ELEMENTS Mod. 10 Breastfeeding arrangements at work 7 How to make the workplace breastfeeding-friendly Several concrete options exist to make the workplace more breastfeeding-friendly. They include the following: Time: maternity leave, parental leaves, flexible hours, more breaks, attention to parents’ needs regarding children’s schedules Space: comfortable, private facilities for expressing breast milk, access to a fridge to store milk, a clean and safe work environment, day care facilities if feasible Support: policy, information, discussions, consultations in support of breastfeeding and of family-related entitlements

MATERNITY PROTECTION RESOURCE PACKAGE. FROM ASPIRATION TO REALITY FOR ALL Part 2: MATERNITY PROTECTION AT WORK IN DEPTH: THE CORE ELEMENTS Mod. 10 Breastfeeding arrangements at work Breastfeeding and HIV One of the reasons for MTCT is that mothers do not know their HIV status. Antiretrovirals and other measures can dramatically reduce the risk of MTCT The workplace can play a pro-active role in preventing MTCT by facilitating access to:  voluntary and confidential testing  treatment and information on infant feeding options for HIV positive women 8 Where mothers living with HIV are encouraged to breastfeed as the best feeding option for their infants, continued breastfeeding after returning to work is even more critical

MATERNITY PROTECTION RESOURCE PACKAGE. FROM ASPIRATION TO REALITY FOR ALL Part 2: MATERNITY PROTECTION AT WORK IN DEPTH: THE CORE ELEMENTS Mod. 10 Breastfeeding arrangements at work Key points  Returning to paid work is a major reason for women to stop breastfeeding before the internationally recommended duration of six months of exclusive breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding until two years or beyond.  Breastfeeding is the norm for feeding babies and supporting breastfeeding at work produces major health and economic advantages with benefits for the child, the mother, the employer and society.  Among the benefits reported by employers who support breastfeeding at the workplace are lower health-care costs, less absenteeism, and higher productivity.  International labour standards set out breastfeeding breaks or a daily reduction of working time – that are counted as working time and remunerated accordingly – for mothers returning from maternity leave. National legislation typically provides for one hour, usually divided into two 30- minute breaks per day.  Breastfeeding facilities at the workplace are inexpensive and easy to set up.  More and more employers understand the advantages of being breastfeeding-friendly, mother- friendly, and family-friendly – and are making the effort to become so, including through developing in-house policies.  It is necessary to raise the awareness of policy-makers, trade unions, employers and others on the need to support breastfeeding mothers, both in terms of time and financial allocations. Men as fathers and decision-makers have a critical role to play in supporting these efforts.  HIV can be transmitted to infants through pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. WHO has specific recommendations regarding the prevention of transmission through breastfeeding. The workplace has a critical role to play in preventing mother-to-child-transmission and in supporting breastfeeding practices in accordance with international guidelines. 9