Workplace supports for breastfeeding

Evidence Rating

Strategies with this rating are likely to work, but further research is needed to confirm effects. These strategies have been tested more than once and results trend positive overall.

Disparity Rating

No impact on disparities likely

Community Conditions

Diet and exercise

Income, employment and wealth

Societal Rules

Institutional practices

Authors

Lead: Lael Grigg

Contributor(s): Alison Bergum, Jessica Solcz

Date Last Updated

February 8, 2018

Workplace policies and practices to support breastfeeding include encouraging breastfeeding breaks to nurse or express milk, allowing babies at work, offering flexible schedules, telework options, or extended maternity leave with or without pay. The 2010 Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to provide a private space, other than a bathroom, and reasonable break time to breastfeed or express milk. Employers can also equip lactation rooms with a high quality pump, microwave to sterilize equipment, refrigerator, sink, and comfortable furniture; offer on-site or nearby childcare; or provide professional lactation services. Workplace supports vary depending on company resources, size, and budget (CDC-Breastfeeding 2013, US DOL-Nursing).

What could this strategy improve?

Expected Benefits

Our evidence rating is based on the likelihood of achieving these outcomes:

Increased breastfeeding rates

Potential Benefits

Our evidence rating is not based on these outcomes, but these benefits may also be possible:

Reduced absenteeism
Increased productivity
Increased job satisfaction

What does the research say about effectiveness? -+

There is some evidence that workplace supports for breastfeeding increase breastfeeding among women returning to work after childbirth (Dinour 2017, Hilliard 2017, Paddock 2017). Women with access to both lactation spaces and adequate break time, as mandated by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), are more likely to exclusively breastfeed 6 months after birth than women without these supports (Kozhimannil 2016, Dinour 2017). Comprehensive and more basic supports both appear to positively affect continuation, duration, and exclusivity of breastfeeding among working women; as workplaces implement greater levels of support the likelihood employees will initiate and continue breastfeeding increases (Dinour 2017). However, additional evidence is needed to confirm effects (Cochrane-Abdulwadud 2012).

Women with access to workplace supports such as a space for lactation, breastfeeding breaks, and comprehensive lactation support programs have higher job satisfaction and job commitment than women without these supports (Dinour 2017). Workplace support programs may also reduce absenteeism, and increase productivity, morale, and retention (Cochrane-Abdulwadud 2012).

Surveys suggest that workplace supports for breastfeeding vary significantly across employment sectors; women working in service, production, and transportation industries often receive the lowest levels of support for breastfeeding (Snyder 2018). Surveys also suggest that single mothers and women with low incomes are significantly less likely to have access to private lactation spaces and sufficient break time to express milk than women with higher incomes (Kozhimannil 2016, Dinour 2017).

Establishing a well-written lactation policy, maintaining equipped lactation facilities, increasing communication about breastfeeding, building networks to support training, and supporting schedule flexibility for working breastfeeding mothers are often components of successful employer-based programs (Hilliard 2017, Bradford 2017). Limited understanding of the need for breastfeeding policies can be a challenge to policy development and implementation (Bradford 2017).

Employers can tailor workplace support policies for breastfeeding to fit their company's budget and resources. Many workplace breastfeeding supports can be provided at little or no cost to the employer. Studies suggest that employers save an average of three dollars for every dollar invested in workplace supports for breastfeeding (Dinour 2017).

Implementation Examples -+

As of 2017, 28 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico have workplace breastfeeding legislation that complements federal legislation (NCSL-Breastfeeding, AMCHP-Breastfeeding 2012, US DOL-Nursing). Several state and local public health agencies have developed programs to increase workplace supports for breastfeeding and to ensure compliance with the federal law, as in Minnesota, South Carolina, and Texas (CDC-Breastfeeding resources).

A 2013 survey suggests that only 40% of employed women with infants have access to both break time and a private lactation space (Kozhimannil 2016).

Implementation Resources -+

CDC-Breastfeeding 2013 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC guide to strategies to support breastfeeding mothers and babies. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. DHHS); 2013.

CDC-Breastfeeding resources - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2025). Strategies for continuity of care in breastfeeding: Potential state and local activities and resources.

US DHHS OWH-Breastfeeding - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. DHHS), Office on Women’s Health (OWH). Breastfeeding.

US DHHS OWH-Breastfeeding employer solutions - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (U.S. DHHS), Office on Women’s Health (OWH). Breastfeeding supporting nursing moms at work: Employer solutions.

Citations -+

* Journal subscription may be required for access.

AMCHP-Breastfeeding 2012 - Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP). Health reform: What is in it to promote breastfeeding? Washington, D.C.: Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP); 2012.

Bradford 2017* - Bradford VA, Walkinshaw LP, Steinman L, et al. Creating environments to support breastfeeding: The challenges and facilitators of policy development in hospitals, clinics, early care and education, and worksites. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2017;21(12):2188-2198.

CDC France-BFCPP - France A, Stader K. Wood County, Wisconsin childcare providers remove breastfeeding barriers through the Breastfeeding-Friendly Childcare Provider Program (BFCPP). Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).

CDC-Breastfeeding resources - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2025). Strategies for continuity of care in breastfeeding: Potential state and local activities and resources.

Cochrane-Abdulwadud 2012 - Abdulwadud OA, Snow ME. Interventions in the workplace to support breastfeeding for women in employment. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2012;(10):CD006177.

Dinour 2017* - Dinour LM, Szaro JM. Employer-based programs to support breastfeeding among working mothers: A systematic review. Breastfeeding Medicine. 2017;12(3):131-141.

Hilliard 2017* - Hilliard ED. A review of worksite lactation accommodations: Occupational health professionals can assure success. Workplace Health & Safety. 2017;65(1):33-44.

Kozhimannil 2016* - Kozhimannil KB, Jou J, Gjerdingen DK, McGovern PM. Access to workplace accommodations to support breastfeeding after passage of the Affordable Care Act. Women’s Health Issues. 2016;26(1):6-13.

NCSL-Breastfeeding - National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Breastfeeding laws.

Paddock 2017* - Paddock JD. Breastfeeding patterns among employees at a land grant university. Workplace Health & Safety. 2017;65(12):580-594.

Snyder 2018 - Snyder K, Hansen K, Brown S, et al. Workplace breastfeeding support varies by employment type: The service workplace disadvantage. Breastfeeding Medicine. 2018;13(1):23-27.

US DOL-Nursing - U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. DOL); Wage and Hour Division. Break time for nursing mothers.