Every August, Embrace joins the much-needed chorus of voices calling attention to the importance of breastfeeding, at least for the first six months of a child’s life. Embrace is a movement for mothers. Our particular part in this chorus is to relay what breastfeeding women have told us about their experiences – the good, the bad, the ugly – and what it teaches us about shaping a society that supports breastfeeding parents and their families.
One of the themes that emerges time and again is the role of workplaces in determining whether mothers continue breastfeeding after returning from maternity leave. The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action often speaks about the ‘warm chain‘. The alliance advocates for linkages between different actors across the health, community, and workplace sectors to provide a continuum of care and support during the first 1 000 days of a child’s life and a mother’s postpartum journey.
This year, Embrace was determined to showcase employers who support breastfeeding employees at work. We reached out to 20 diverse employers, including JSE-listed companies and state-owned enterprises, asking how they have created breastfeeding-friendly environments. Despite our efforts, we encountered reluctance and even silence, leading us to conclude that few employers are prioritising supportive, equitable workplaces for their breastfeeding employees. This realisation comes as we commemorate World Breastfeeding Week and the historic 1956 women’s march against apartheid pass laws that restricted women’s freedom of movement and their ability to participate in income-generating activities.
Successful breastfeeding is a collective responsibility that involves making all parts of our culture supportive of breastfeeding families. A key element is ensuring that breastfeeding parents return to work in environments that offer comprehensive support. Breastfeeding takes a village, but our village is not as equipped as it should be to ensure every mother who breastfeeds can do it successfully. We need brave, committed leaders of all genders in every workplace to stand up for breastfeeding. Are you one of them?
Supporting breastfeeding employees is crucial not only for achieving 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) related to child health and reducing hunger, but also for driving inclusive economic growth through women’s participation in the economy. In fact, the Global Compact Network South Africa, a business-led platform for companies and organisations committed to achieving the SDGs, agrees that businesses have a stake in, and are responsible for, gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Basic good practice guidelines for employers recommend at least two 30-minute breaks for breastfeeding or expressing milk. Stellenbosch University researchers have found that many employers lack formal breastfeeding policies and practices such as lactation spaces, crèche facilities, flexible work arrangements, and employee wellness programmes that offer access to lactation counselling and maternal mental health care. The report identified the following reasons for non-compliance: space and infrastructure challenges, misconceptions about the costs, and a poor understanding of what breastfeeding support entails. These challenges are not insurmountable and can be addressed by raising employer awareness about their legal and social responsibilities. The Side by Side campaign, a public-private partnership with the Department of Health, has developed a guide to help employers in South Africa support breastfeeding. It offers practical advice for creating breastfeeding-friendly environments in firms of all sizes. The benefits of doing this outweigh the potential costs.
Establishing the feeding relationship
In the first few weeks of breastfeeding, demand-feeding (that is, feeding in response to a baby’s hunger cues) helps establish milk supply and feeding routines. Paid parental leave allows parents to spend uninterrupted time with their newborns, learning their hunger cues and feeding as needed, which is crucial for continuing breastfeeding after returning to work. Separation between babies and their mothers should only begin once a feeding routine has been established, ensuring working parents can continue producing enough milk to meet their baby’s nutritional needs.
Feeding at work
In addition to allowing women breaks for breastfeeding during their workday, a private space, an uninterrupted power supply (for electronic pumps), refrigeration, and access to running water and soap are also necessary. Unfortunately, too many women have shared stories about having to pump in closets, toilets, unoccupied meeting rooms, or their cars. This is not conducive to safe, continued feeding practices and is understandably discouraging for employees adjusting to returning to work while parenting a new baby.
Breastfeeding support makes good business sense
According to the Harvard Business Review, there is a strong business case for supporting breastfeeding. This includes higher retention of valued employees, cost savings from lower absenteeism, reduced healthcare costs, and improved public relations as a socially responsible business. Researchers and health equity advocates argue that social and structural barriers to breastfeeding constitute a violation of basic rights. We believe that it is crucial for employers to be advocates for breastfeeding rights by instituting supportive policies, practices and allowances. At the same time, the government must ensure firms adhere to basic good practice guidelines.
Successful breastfeeding is a collective responsibility that involves making all parts of our culture supportive of breastfeeding families. A key element is ensuring that breastfeeding parents return to work in environments that offer comprehensive support. Breastfeeding takes a village, but our village is not as equipped as it should be to ensure every mother who breastfeeds can do it successfully. We need brave, committed leaders of all genders in every workplace to stand up for breastfeeding. Are you one of them?