First Posted: 3/27/2015
LIMA — Breast-feeding at the workplace is a sensitive topic, even for the Allen County Public Health Department.
During its most recent board meeting March 13, the issue came up as a part of the discussion to determine if a breast-feeding helper could bring her child in to work for the day after maternity leave to continue breast-feeding.
Of course, the health department supports breast-feeding, said Health Commissioner Kathy Luhn. But bringing a child in to work for the entire day presents a whole new set of factors to consider.
For example, the discussion during the board meeting included concerns about liability and safety. What if the child were hurt? As a health department, it would also be easy for a baby to catch an illness with so many people coming in for treatments, advice and immunizations.
“It’s new to us,” Luhn said. “We’re taking the time to step back and figure out how this can work and ask ourselves what the factors are that we need to consider to protect the baby, to protect Mom and ourselves as the employer.”
In previous years, the health department has worked with Activate Allen County and other organizations in developing breast-feeding support groups such as the Allen County Breast Feeding Coalition.
Lori Nester, a member of the coalition and the breast-feeding coordinator at the county’s Women Infants and Children clinic, has worked with businesses to answer some of these questions in the past.
For example, the group worked with a local bank to designate certain areas where women could breast-feed or pump during the day and help train staff to appropriately handle situations.
More common policies in the area enable moms to have time off or breaks during the day to breast-feed or pump, or even go home to do so. Some designate areas to pump in the office or, if someone brings the baby in, to breast-feed.
“Most of that is pretty straightforward since it’s federal law,” Nester said.
Actually bringing in the baby to the office for the entire workday, however, isn’t as common in the area, she said.
There’s more to consider, such as time limits, ability to work and stay focused, a child’s safety, work environment or liability.
“It’s a newer concept,” she said. “But there might be some areas where this is happening where it’s probably not as unusual.”
