Thank you, Miriam Wood, for that information.

Before everyone starts cheering about the Request for Information (RFI) on
“breastfeeding” time for lactating mothers, let’s look at the limitations.
The wording suggests they are going for the lowest common denominator, milk
expressing, which will preserved the supposed “right” of every baby to have
a bottle, at least some of the time.  This is about breastmilk feeding. 

 While acknowledging that this is – for the moment – the reality for many
employed mothers and their babies, it would be sheer folly just to curl up
and say how nice of this government department to allow this, and not ask
for more.  What should be the goal is to raise awareness that this is a
second-best choice, at best, and that what is needed is to work towards
industrial changes enabling mothers to breastfeed their babies at work.
These include workplace crèches (or crèches serving several buildings), or
provisions for a care-giver to bring the baby in.  It may mean investigating
whether working from home and tele-commuting would suit some jobs. (I knew
some engineering professors who tele-commuted some days of the week – and
they were neither female not lactating.) 

While none of this is going to happen soon, across the board, constantly
mentioning this in submissions will get the message out there and gradually
cause attitudinal change.  Some workplaces may make the move early,
including where a new building is being planned.

Always ask for what is needed.  Then what is actually offered can be seen in
proportion.  Keeping asking time after time is how to raise awareness.  When
the point gets across, the next task will be to address the barriers.

Virginia

Dr Virginia Thorley, OAM, PhD, IBCLC, FILCA 

Brisbane, Qld, Australia 

E: [log in to unmask] 

 

Miriam Wood wrote:

 

As breastfeeding advocates - I wanted to make sure that you all saw the
request, listed below.  This would be a great way to make sure that the
rights of nursing mothers are protected. If you have a few minutes to
respond, please do so!

 

Break Time for Nursing Mothers - U.S. Labor Dept. Seeking Comments on
Regulations

 

National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition

 

(Jan. 31, 2011)   In late December, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the
US Department of Labor published a Request for Information (RFI) outlining
the Department's preliminary interpretations of the "Break Time for Nursing
Mothers" provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  This
provision requires employers to provide reasonable break time and a place
for nursing mothers to express breast milk for one year after their child's
birth.

 

The Department of Labor is now seeking information and comments for review
as it determines how best to help employers and employees understand the
requirements of the law.  Topics to be considered include:  what is adequate
time to express breast milk; what does it mean for an employer to provide "a
place" to express breast milk; and how can the federal government best
communicate the law to nursing mothers and to employers.  Comments must be
submitted by February 22nd.

 

For more information, go to http://www.dol.gov/whd/nursingmothers/.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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