Frank: Is this something I can share with a client of mine who works for
Am.Ex.? They are on the right track but have a long way to go. Their
"lactation room" consists of a partitioned area in the locker room near the
bathrooms. Next year, they should have a nicer "lactation room". But for
now, this employee is not allowed to nurse her 10 month old in the (very
large) employee cafeteria (in a booth, off to the side, in the back).
"Someone" complained and mgmt won't say who. Co attys say they can, and
did, make rules about where an employee can nurse her baby, and it's NOT in
the cafeteria. Even her Supv said he thought nursing in public was illegal!
This employee is building a good working relationship with the company nurse
who has lots of input into the development of the "lactation rooms". She
says what's in the budget for 1999 sounds very nice.
Thanks for your time.
Phyllis
Phyllis Adamson, BA, IBCLC
Private Practice - Glendale, AZ
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Nice, Frank <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, September 08, 1998 5:25 AM
Subject: NIH Lactation Project
>I thought you all might be interested in how enlightened a government
workplace
>can become when it comes to breastfeeding.
>Please see notice below that was sent to all NIH employees.
>Frank J. Nice, DPA, CPHP
>
> ----------
> From: Strickland, Susanne (OD)
> Sent: Friday, September 04, 1998 4:38 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> ATTENTION ALL NIH
> NEW PARENTS AND PARENTS-TO-BE
>
> NIH is pleased to announce the initiation of a pilot worksite
lactation
>program.
> This program is open to all women who work at NIH, regardless of
>employment
> category. NIH dads don't need to feel left out; the program also
offers
>breast
> pump rentals at reduced rates for your wives who are breast
feeding.
>
> The program consists of:
> * Dedicated, clean, private, and secure lactation rooms (in
>Buildings 31
> and 10), equipped with comfortable chairs, tables and breast pumps.
A
>third
> room is planned for the Natcher Building.
> * The services of a certified, experienced lactation
consultant
>who is
> available to provide information about breast feeding, and
telephone
>support
> during the first weeks home from the hospital.
> * Scheduled time to use the lactation room during the workday
to
>minimize
> the disruption to daily schedules.
> * Breast pump rental at discounted rates for use at other
>locations.
> * Use of the services of the lactation consultant and use of
the
>lactation
> rooms are open to all NIH mothers. Users will be required to
purchase
>their own
> personal kits to be used with the pumps.
>
> Start up and the first year of the pilot are being funded by ORWH;
>NICHD; NIGMS;
> ODP and ORS, OD; NIDDK; NHGRI; NIDR and NIAMS. If the program
proves
> successful, there are plans to expand the number of lactation rooms
to
>other
> buildings on and off-campus.
>
> Mother's milk is the preferred source of nutrition for babies up to
the
>first
> year of life, according to a 1997 American Academy of Pediatrics
policy
> statement. Breast milk offers superior nutrition. In addition,
>breast-fed
> babies have significantly fewer respiratory-tract infections than
>bottle-fed
> babies; breastfeeding reduces an infant's risk of food allergies
and may
>have
> long term positive effects on the baby's immune system. For
mothers
> breastfeeding helps the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy state
more
>quickly
> and may reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.
>
> For more information about enrollment in this program to improve
the
>quality of
> worklife,
> call Jane Balkham, Lactation Consultant at (301) 435-7850, or see
the
>Worksite
> Health Promotion Web site http://odp.od.nih.gov/whpp/
>
> Susanne Strickland, Project Officer, 61105.
>
>
|
