NR 506 Week 7 Discussion, RN as Healthcare Policy Leader

NR 506 Week 7 Discussion, RN as Healthcare Policy Leader For the purpose of this discussion, I will review recommendations and findings as they relate to workplace support for breastfeeding mothers. The position statement I have formulated is as such: “Breastfeeding mothers who are given access to facilities for pumping while at work will increase success of breastfeeding; both supply of milk and bonding with their infant, by encouraging breastfeeding for a longer period of time and providing maximum nutritional benefits for the infant”. It is a proven fact that exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after the birth of an infant that the benefits for both mother and infant are great (Lessen & Kavanagh, 2015). Though employers are required to provide a safe and appropriate place for mothers to pump while working, the requirements are not detailed to include specific amenities for that mother (Bai & Wunderlich, 2013). Amenities including a separate cooling place to store milk, such as a refrigerator, and a sink are extra things that will help make continuing to breastfeed a success (Bai & Wunderlich, 2013). Currently, requirements include “reasonable breaks for employees to express breast milk in private, in a space other than a restroom, for one year from a child’s birth” (Chow, Wolfe, & Olson, 2012). When employees feel that their choice to breastfeed their infant is important to their employer, they will experience less stress and will have a successful breastfeeding experience, however the amount of hours a mother works has an impact on long-term breastfeeding rates. After four months, full-time working mothers see a 23.5% decrease in exclusive breastfeeding rates as opposed to part-time working mothers (Bai & Wunderlich, 2013). This equates to longer work hours and work weeks making it more difficult to sustain exclusive breastfeeding for mothers, and less infants getting the most benefits from breastfeeding. When supervisors or managers show an interest and support for their working mothers to breastfeed their infants, employee morale increases, as well as productivity (Chow et al, 2012). I have been on both sides of the spectrum when it comes to breastfeeding success. When I gave birth to my son in 2004, there was not a room I was able to pump while at work, and ultimately he was weaned by the age of four months. However, with my second child, I was employed elsewhere, we had lactation staff on our unit, and had a special room, along with a provided pump and storage space for pumped milk, to take breaks whenever it was necessary, and my daughter breastfed for nine months. Having a much more supportive team on my side made the necessary breaks less stressful, and I was able to provide that nutrition to my daughter without having to worry about when I was going to be able to get away and express milk. References Bai, Y., & Wunderlich, S. M. (2013). Lactation accommodation in the workplace and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 58(6), 690-696. doi:10.1111/jmwh.12072 Chow, T., Wolfe, E. W., & Olson, B. H. (2012). Research: development, content validity, and piloting of an instrument designed to measure managers' attitude toward workplace breastfeeding support. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, -1047. doi:10.1016/.2012.01.013 Lessen, R., & Kavanagh, K. (2015). From the academy: practice paper of the academy of nutrition and dietetics abstract: promoting and supporting breastfeeding. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, . doi:10.1016/.2014.12.015