In the not so distant past, breastfeeding was considered a taboo subject. Mothers nursed their children in private and scheduled their social contact and outings around the babys feeding schedule. Luckily, for nursing mothers and babies alike, the traditional roles of motherhood have shifted, and so has the perception of nursing in the workplace. One of the major reasons for the shift is the number of women entering the workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women make up forty six percent of the U.S. workforce. Two-thirds of new employees will be women starting or returning to work and seventy five percent of working women become pregnant during their working lives. It is no longer uncommon to be a nursing mother working full-time outside the home. Manufacturers of nursing undergarments, apparel and accessories have capitalized on this trend, benefiting their industry, employers, nursing mothers and babies. Nursing mothers now have a wide range of choices to fit their personal needs and style. Nursing bras, once considered clunky and unfashionable are offered in chic styles, colors and patterns that can make nursing moms feel feminine with functionality that makes it easy to nurse or pump in public while still maintaining a sense of privacy and modesty. Akin to the nursing bra, women can now choose from nursing camisoles and tanks that can be layered and coordinated with other wardrobe pieces to maintain accessibility for nursing while looking their best. Women can now dress casually or professionally in the workplace, regardless of nursing status. Nursing mothers who work outside the home are another driving force behind the public acceptance of nursing. Approximately ninety percent of mothers leave the hospital nursing, but by the sixth month postpartum twenty four percent of part-time working mothers and only twelve percent of full-time working mothers are still nursing. That number is increasing, due in part to the availability of portable breast pumps, corporate lactation programs that offer private mothers rooms where women can pump in a relaxing environment, accessories and breaks from work exclusively for pumping breast milk. Medela, one of the largest and well-known manufacturers of nursing bras and breast pumps, promotes corporate lactation programs that also extend to non-nursing employees by providing information to make them more comfortable with the benefits of continued breastfeeding and their nursing co-worker. In turn, this knowledge makes the nursing mother feel more comfortable and the other employees possibly more accepting of nursing or pumping in public or in the workplace. The corporate world is realizing that they too can benefit from promoting nursing in the workplace. Breastfed babies tend to have less frequent and less serious illnesses, equating to lower absentee rates and associated health care costs. Nursing-friendly companies also receive and extra boost in public image. The return on the nursing investment for companies is well-worth the start-up costs. Today nursing mothers, regardless of employment status, have options and opportunities that promote the healthy practice of nursing their child as long as possible. Innovations in nursing apparel and corporate and public attitudes toward nursing have also helped to create a more positive environment that is beneficial to everyone. |
