5 ways to empower breastfeeding parents at work

2. Embed flexibility and encourage parents to set pumping schedules.

When returning to work, women need to pump as often as they breastfed—every 2-3 hours—in order to maintain their milk supply as well as avoid leaking, pain, and serious infections like mastitis. While the frequency of pumping may decrease as a baby grows, it’s important to give women control over when they pump and for how long. Ensure working parents feel ownership and flexibility over their own schedules, and encourage them to block time for pumping on their calendars when they return from leave. Assure them that they have the support of their manager and HR in respecting their schedules.

3. Provide employees access to meet with a Lactation Consultant and/or a Back-to-Work Coach on Maven.

“I suffered from mastitis (inflammation that prevented me from breastfeeding) after my baby was born and thanks to Maven, got in touch with a doctor and a Lactation Consultant the same day! Had it not been for Maven, I would’ve been navigating my condition (which I had no clue about!) alone.”

This Maven member illuminates why Lactation Consultants are one of the top provider types our members are booking appointments with in the postpartum period. They can make all the difference in navigating the complex, emotional, and frustrating world of breastfeeding and pumping, and provide helpful guidance on milk supply, latching issues, pain, or the like. Career Coaches can also help prepare employees for conversations they’ll need to have about setting expectations and respecting their schedule when they return to work, and can provide guidance for making requests if a work environment could do more to meet their needs.  

4. Train managers and employees to understand policies, set expectations, and be respectful of colleagues’ schedules.

Let’s be real: many working parents report feeling a “breastfeeding stigma” from their coworkers and making it the responsibility of an individual to communicate their rights to coworkers can worsen negative interactions or even harassment between colleagues. A simple solution? Educate all employees—not just managers and new parents—about women’s breastfeeding needs and the company policies in place to support them. Set clear expectations and hold managers accountable in helping you create a culture that is respectful of colleagues who are pumping.

5. Offer breast milk shipping benefits.  

When traveling for work, maintaining pumping becomes even more complex, with the added time and pressure of researching and arranging travel logistics and accommodations. Offering breast milk shipping like Maven Milk can go a long way toward making work travel less stressful, helping to increase satisfaction and retention. Maven Milk offers convenient domestic and international travel kits, with Care Advocates who do all the legwork including researching pumping rooms, scheduling pumping into your work travel schedule, and making sure your kit is at your accommodations when you arrive.