Formula for balance

By ANGELA McCARTHY

When Lisa Cunningham, Chapman Tripp senior solicitor, returned to work her baby Jessica was just 2 months old and she decided to continue full breastfeeding.

"I initially thought I'd give Jessica a good start by breastfeeding and stop when I went back to work, but I found I wanted to continue that role."

Cunningham has nothing but praise for her employers who made it very easy to breastfeed and work. She changed to an office that provided more privacy to breastfeed or express and her husband was given an access card so he could bring Jessica in for a lunch feed, then collect the milk Cunningham expressed during her morning break.

"I see breastfeeding as an integral part of parenting and I felt it was best nutritionally," she says. "I thought of putting her on formula but then I thought, 'this is silly, I have a perfectly good natural supply of milk'."

Cunningham is one of a steadily expanding number of women who return to work with a baby at home. The 2001 Census found 34 per cent of women in paid work had children under 1 year old, 11 per cent up from a decade before.

And that's creating a new issue for employers - that of supportive workplace breastfeeding policies, says Women's Health Action Trust breastfeeding advocate Louise James.

Combining breastfeeding and employment is becoming recognised as a public health and a human rights concern. Both the World Health Organisation and New Zealand Ministry of Health advise women to breastfeed exclusively for at least six months, preferably longer, says Dr Judy Galtry who, with lactation consultant Marcia Annandale, has been researching the development of breastfeeding-friendly workplaces in New Zealand .

"It is about baby health," she says. "Ear infections, respiratory conditions, diarrhoea are all less common in breastfed babies."

During World Breastfeeding Week (August 1 to 7) the Women's Health Action Trust is highlighting the work situation with the poster on this page, of a suited male breastfeeding a baby in an office. Caption: Ever tried breastfeeding at work?

A Women's Health Action Trust survey of 117 randomly chosen businesses in July found most believed they were breastfeeding-friendly. However, none had a formal breastfeeding policy and few managers communicated their support to staff, which meant many employees were reluctant to ask.

"Yet if employees see active support for breastfeeding in their workplace, mothers gain confidence to breastfeed when they return to work," concludes the survey.

Galtry points out employers accommodate smoke breaks, "so there should be little objection to employees taking breaks for the health-enhancing purposes of breastfeeding and breast milk expression.

"It is also potentially discriminatory to give breaks for some activities and not others."

Midwife Cindy Harris, who works part-time and breastfeeds her daughter, now aged 1, finds most mothers want to give breastfeeding a go.

"It only takes 15 to 20 minutes out of the day to express and you know that your baby is getting the goodness of breast milk."

And she says most mothers sort out breastfeeding arrangements before they return to work.

However, Galtry believes the lack of formal policy means support is often affected by personal experience. "Young males may see it as a totally unreal need. But it shouldn't be arbitrary like that."

Financial controller Margaret Clarke (not her real name) wants legislation, saying her boss discriminated against her during and after her four months' maternity leave.

"He made it very clear there would be no special treatment so I didn't feel I could ask for flexibility around leaving work early and doing catch-up work in the evening."

She decided to express a feed in the morning, then drive to daycare in her lunch break to give another feed. On her second day back her employer said he didn't think she could combine mothering and her job.

"I had a four-day work trip coming up and couldn't see how I was going to organise that without his support."

She quit after three weeks, doggedly working out her two months' notice and approaching the Human Rights Commission about her rights. The commission told Clarke her employer had walked a very fine line and should have given support so she could continue doing her job.

"I was surprised there was no legal requirement to provide access to suitable places for breastfeeding or expressing, or allow split lunch hours to cover expressing."

Yet should businesses have to shoulder responsibility for what is really a personal decision? Yes, says the EEO Trust which recently devoted a Work & Life Bulletin to the subject of breastfriendly workplaces.

Chief executive Trudi McNaughton says businesses gain by supporting mothers.

"Research shows workplaces gain improved employee relationships, loyalty, commitment and morale, increased productivity, higher return to work rates and higher retention rates, which reduce costs of recruitment and training."

Breastfeeding mothers have three main needs in a workplace: time for breastfeeding or expressing; a supportive environment; and a comfortable private room for feeding and expressing. The room needs running water, a hand basin and a window and fridge nearby to store milk, says Women's Health Action breastfeeding advocate James.

"Often a room isn't seen as a priority because it hasn't been asked for enough or rooms that are designated are inappropriate. Some women opt to breastfeed in their car because it is more pleasant."

News desk administrator Sandra McKenzie did just that with her first child.

There was no breastfeeding room in the office so her mother, mother-in-law or husband would bring the baby from the North Shore into her central city workplace. She would hop into the back seat and breastfeed him during lunch.

McKenzie chose to continue breastfeeding while working 16 hours a week because she couldn't express. "I didn't want him on formula. But most women I knew who went to work usually gave up breastfeeding."

When the EEO's diversity survey this year asked organisations specifically about breastfeeding support, it found only 18 per cent provided an on-site breastfeeding area, while 12.5 per cent provided facilities for expressing and/or storing milk.

3M has a privacy room with a bed, table and chairs and friendly atmosphere. While there is no fridge in the room, there is one in the kitchenette nearby, says HR manager Debra Tong.

Hesketh Henry, an EEO award winner, has a sick bay designated a breastfeeding room with bed, baby changing equipment and fridge.

"Although it isn't used much, it definitely works in our favour to have it because it shows that we do accept people for the whole package," says HR manager Mark O'Connell.

Both firms also offers options such as changed working hours, and a home office setup, but neither have a formal policy.

Generally employers aren't keen on formal legislation. Northern Employers Association communications manager Gilbert Peterson says members informally canvassed about the issue seem to have a relaxed attitude but don't see the need for formal policies.

Association employer services manager Graeme Perfect advises employers to consider breastfeeding policy as good practice, although not a legal requirement.

"I don't think there should be legislation because there are already so many constraints in the work environment. I think it could be more harmful, and could lead to subtle discrimination towards women in childbearing years."

Galtry disagrees because of inequities that result. Lack of provision is a particular problem for Maori, Pacific and other low-income groups because of the types of occupations in which they are concentrated and the fact that they often don't qualify for statutory parental leave.

"The casualised labour force, like night cleaners, doesn't have paid parental leave or workplace breastfeeding support," she says.

SURVEY:

Women's Health Action Trust survey findings:

* 88 per cent of employers said employees could breastfeed

* 86 per cent would provide breastfeeding breaks

* 68 per cent had place for employees to breastfeed, but few were specifically designated rooms

* 66.3 per cent of the women in those businesses returned to work after maternity leave

* None had a formal policy


LEGAL SITUATION:

The 2002 Human Rights Commission booklet, Employers guidelines for the prevention of pregnancy discrimination, notes the right to breastfeed in public is substantiated in case law but courts haven't yet tested the issue of breastfeeding in the workplace. However it advises that prohibiting a woman from breastfeeding at work could be considered sexual discrimination.

The commission advises employers to:

* Provide regular, paid breastfeeding breaks

* Provide a quiet room/space for mothers and infants

* Ensure the infant's care is welcome and can access the workplace

* Support breastfeeding mothers to accommodate their needs.