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

Helen Butler shared the links to the UK HSE's guidelines for pregnant and
breastfeeding mothers.  At best, this is a very minimalist policy; at worst,
it further enshrines the separation of the mother and baby without
suggesting that other provisions are possible.  I was very disappointed to
see that there was no provision at all for breastfeeding.  It never seems to
have occurred to the authors to think that mothers might actually
*breastfeed* when not at home.  They either assume that mothers will prefer
to pump and *breastmilk-feed*, or they think that providing pumping
facilities will keep everyone happy and make the employer look good.

I'd have preferred to see some mention made for a) workplace childcare
(okay, I'm going for the gold standard) or at least b) a family member or
care-giver to bring the baby for breastfeeding.  In some facilities, this
would mean very little change to the room set aside for pumping, anyway.

Mentioning this in a policy, even if it is a rare occurrence, at least
plants the seed in the minds of employed mothers and employers.  Might I add
that workplaces which have the foresight to set up workplace childcare
should be able to recoup the cost in fees (even if offering subsidized
fees), including accepting enrolments from parents in other nearby
workplaces.   

I'm currently "nomail".  So please copy any comments to me to keep me in
this strand

Warm regards,

 

Dr Virginia Thorley, OAM, PhD, IBCLC, FILCA 

Brisbane, Qld, Australia 

E: [log in to unmask] 

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ON Tue, 17 Mar 2009,  Helen Butler wrote

Subject: My latest update from the [British] Health and Safety Executive  =
mentions their guidance for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers

 

MOTHERS AT WORK

++ International Women's Day ++=20

In support, HSE is raising awareness of its guidance for new and = expectant
mothers.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/index.htm?ebul=3Dhsegen/16-mar-2009
<http://www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/index.htm?ebul=3Dhsegen/16-mar-2009&cr=3D9>
&cr=3D9 =

 

If you click through to the   leaflet =

http://www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/mothers.htm you will find this Rest facilities
for pregnant and breastfeeding women

 

Many pregnant women feel tired and need to rest. Breastfeeding mothers =
need a clean, private place to express and store their milk. Employers = are
legally required to provide suitable rest facilities for workers who = are
pregnant or breastfeeding. Also, although not a legal requirement, =
employers are encouraged to provide a healthy and safe environment for =
nursing mothers to express and store milk. This could be provided in the =
suitable rest facilities. However, it is not suitable for toilets to be =
used for this purpose.

 

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