Need a Lactation Space Where You Work? Start Here.
Take the next step at your organization—Download our Guide to Getting Buy-in for Lactation Accommodations.
If you’re ready to spearhead a movement where you work to ensure appropriate lactation accommodations for breastfeeding employees, we can help! Start here.
Looking for accommodations in a public venue instead? Here's help.
1. Know your workplace rights
All breastfeeding employees are covered by workplace laws that require lactation accommodations. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) 2022 law, the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, requires employers to provide break time and a private lactation space—that’s not a bathroom—for breastfeeding employees for up to one year following the birth of a baby. Many states have even stronger laws that extend the duration of protections or stipulate specific requirements for lactation accommodations (e.g. outlets). Find out what’s required in your state here: state workplace laws.
2. Connect with HR leaders
Ask the person(s) who handles your benefits if your workplace has a written lactation policy. If not, this is an important first step for your organization’s leaders to take. A written lactation policy documents your rights as a breastfeeding employee, ensures that lactation accommodations are a priority rather than an afterthought, and helps establish a breastfeeding-friendly culture for all employees.
3. Make the business case for breastfeeding
Supporting breastfeeding employees in the workplace is good for families and babies— but it’s also good for businesses. (See here for more about the ROI of breastfeeding!) Talk with the person or department at your workplace who tracks hiring and retention. One study showed that having lactation support at work correlated with 94 percent retention rate. Research also suggests that supporting breastfeeding employees can boost employee loyalty and lower a company’s healthcare costs (breastfed babies tend to get sick less often, which can reduce the number of sick days moms need to take). Need help articulating how easy it can be to provide lactations accommodations in the office? Share this page with your employer.
4. Find the breastfeeding champions in your workplace
Identify allies (or what the Mamava team calls lactivists!) at every level of your organization who are invested in improving lactation support and infrastructure. From CEOs to school superintendents, you’ll find leaders willing to listen and make changes. Then connect with other moms (and dads!) at work to have personal conversations about breastfeeding. Remember, supporting breastfeeding isn’t just about helping moms—it’s about helping working families balance their personal and professional goals.
Ready to take the next step at your organization? Download our Guide to Getting Buy-in for Lactation Accommodations—which includes a link to a template presentation to make for stakeholders!
Mamava designs solutions to empower breastfeeding and pumping parents on the go, like our freestanding lactation pods, Mamava’s lactation space locator app, and other helpful resources.
More parent resources
