----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joanne Whistler" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 6:15 PM
Subject: Company breastfeeding policy - long


Hello everyone,

You may remember that some months ago I asked the list for some ideas about 
a breastfeeding policy I was hoping to propose at work. The good news is 
that this is being considered, but the bad news is that the directors have 
taken most of the positive things out of the policy and I'm feeling very 
disappointed that the tone of the policy is now quite negative, with very 
few concessions to the needs of nursing mothers. It's almost worse than not 
having one at all! The document is to be discussed at a staff/management 
negotiating committee on 8 September, and I would appreciate people's views 
on which issues are most likely to be barriers to women in the company 
successfully combining BF and work.

My main concerns are:
- no company time available for expressing (employees can use flexi-time, 
but who wants to be away from baby for an extra hour to catch up the time 
when you've already been separated for many hours?)
- Very negative tone regarding a room to express in for the regional offices 
"doubtful if a room could be found"
- unnecessarily negative tone / requirements e.g. they provide fridges for 
staff use anyway, so why not say positively that they can be used to store 
milk? instead they've said milk must be labelled (why? with what?)

I'm probably going to have to pick my battles here. Some issues are unlikely 
to arise (e.g. mother wanting to have baby brought to office for feeds), so 
I won't fight those, but I would like some guidance on which battles to pick 
and how I can get over the key issue of "why should we pay employees for 
time spent expressing"

Any ideas very welcome. I have appended the text of my original draft and 
the much-amended version that has been suggested by management.

Thanks,
Joanne

MY ORIGINAL DRAFT

Policy statement

The [company] recognises the benefits of breastfeeding to mothers and 
infants and therefore encourages and supports staff members to breastfeed 
their babies, including upon their return to work. ‘Breastfeeding’ includes 
expressing milk and the same rights under this policy will apply to members 
of staff who wish to express milk to give to their baby.

Pregnancy

A pregnant member of staff will be advised that the BDA will support her if 
she continues to breastfeed after her maternity leave, and should be given a 
copy of this policy prior to going on maternity leave.

The [company] will provide a copy of the NHS leaflet “Breastfeeding and 
 Work” and the La Leche League publications “Expectant mums information 
 pack” and “Working mums information pack” to the employee before she goes 
on maternity leave.

Return to work

A risk assessment is carried out for all members of staff returning from 
maternity leave, to ensure that they and their baby(ies) are protected from 
work-related risks. For members of staff who plan to continue breastfeeding 
after their maternity leave, the risk assessment includes questions which 
aim to ensure they get the appropriate support.

The member of staff and her line manager should agree who will be 
responsible for performing the risk assessment and who should be given 
notice of the member of staff’s intention to continue breastfeeding or 
expressing milk on her return to work.

The risk assessment should be conducted as soon as reasonably practicable 
following the member of staff’s return from maternity leave, to ensure any 
support she needs is provided.

Adjustments

The [company] will permit breastfeeding members of staff to take additional 
breaks of up to one hour per full working day to feed their baby or to 
express their breast milk. This should be taken in one or more breaks during 
the working day, and not used to shorten the overall length of the working 
day.

Where possible, the [company] will make available a private, comfortable and 
appropriately equipped room for breastfeeding employees to feed their baby 
or express their milk. The room will usually have a chair, electric outlet 
and a lockable door, and have facilities for hand-washing and cleaning 
equipment nearby. The room will not be a toilet.

The [company] will provide a fridge for the storage of expressed breast milk 
and specify a location where expressing equipment can be stored.

Where the [company] cannot make available facilities for breastfeeding or 
expressing milk for a member of staff because of the constraints of the 
premises, consideration will be given to requests for temporary flexible 
and/or homeworking whilst the need to breastfeed or express milk during 
normal working hours continues. These temporary provisions are separate from 
the entitlement to request permanent flexible working patterns, which is 
available to all parents of children under 16 (18 for a disabled child).


THE AMENDED VERSION

The [company] recognises the benefits of breastfeeding to mothers and 
infants and therefore supports staff members who wish to breastfeed their 
babies or express milk.

The [company] provides a copy of the HSE “Guide to Expectant Mothers” and 
members of staff are also advised to read the on-line NHS leaflet 
“Breastfeeding and Work” if appropriate.


A risk assessment is carried out as soon as possible following the return to 
work for all members of staff, by their line manager or if preferred the 
Health & Safety or Human Resources Manager, upon notification of pregnancy 
and also upon returning from maternity leave, to ensure that they and their 
baby(ies) are protected from work-related risks. Members of staff who notify 
the [company] that they are breastfeeding or expressing milk will be asked 
to complete the additional risk assessment.

Breastfeeding members of staff may take breaks of up to one hour per full 
working day to express their breast milk using flexible working arrangements 
subject to agreement with their line manager as appropriate. In general 
there is a requirement for a private, comfortable room for breastfeeding 
employees with a chair, electric outlet and have facilities for hand-washing 
and cleaning equipment nearby. A toilet would not be suitable.  In [the head 
office] this is likely to be the flat which is a multi-function room which 
can offer the required privacy, however in the other offices it is doubtful 
that a room could be provided and it would be necessary to discuss this 
requirement with the line manager and HR manager to come to a suitable 
arrangement.

If a member of staff wishes to store breast milk in a company fridge then it 
must be appropriately labeled.

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