Mothers’ rooms ease transition back to work

Nursing mothers who return to work deserve something very special, and Virginia Woolf said it first: A room of their own.

More employers are aware that more than half of American women go back to their jobs by the time their children are 3 months old.

And why at 3 months? That’s usually because after three months, or 12 weeks of unpaid leave, the Family and Medical Leave Act runs out.

Many of the women who return to work do so because they need the money. And some of them still are nursing their babies.

Savvy employers, who want the new mothers back on the job as soon as possible because they’re valuable workers, try to figure out ways to avoid increased absenteeism and decreased productivity.

Businesses know they have to try to ease the transition and seem to me to be far more receptive today to any practical ideas on the subject.

One increasingly popular way to make the women feel welcome is for employers to provide “a private, safe, hygienic and comfortable environment for breastfeeding mothers,” according to Carol Ann Friedman, a registered nurse and program director of Mothers at Work, a division of LifeCare Inc., a human-services organization based in Westport, Conn.

LifeCare, which focuses on providing programs and services to attract, retain and motivate employees, has nearly 2,000 clients representing 5.6 million employees. And the well thought-out workplace breastfeeding program that Friedman runs makes life much easier for nursing mothers nationwide–and for their employers, too.

All is not altruistic, however: Some employers are getting around to addressing this need because of legal requirements. Nine states, among them Illinois, have enacted laws requiring employers to allow women to express milk during breaks and to provide a room in which breastfeeding mothers can express milk in a safe and sanitary way. Seven more states are considering similar legislation.

“Based on the clear benefits of breastfeeding, experts predict that these types of bills will cascade through all of the states,” according to Friedman, whose program offers 24/7 access to certified lactation consultants, educational materials and to the purchase of breastfeeding pumps and to breastfeeding classes.

Whether the designated room is called a Lactation Center or Mothers’ Room, “it’s essential for all employers to design a well thought-out facility,” Friedman asserts.

The program director has created a list of necessities, which appeared in The LifeCare Connection, her company’s newsletter. The “must-haves” include an internal lock to ensure privacy. A sink to wash hands and pump attachments. Tables for the pumps to rest on. Adequate electrical outlets for the pumps. A rack to hang up clothes while pumping.

Friedman also has created a list of some extras–beyond the basic essentials–that make a difference.

The “amenities” are ample storage space and/or a refrigerator for bottles, pump attachments and other supplies. A bulletin board for posting communications and baby photos. Soft lighting and temperature control. Comfortable nursing stools.

And more: A sign-in book or white board for scheduling purposes. A clock. A mirror.

Friedman’s suggestions are insightful and considerate, but if I were making the rules, I’d go well beyond “must-haves” and “amenities.” I’d add a list I’d call “necessities.”

They include a massage therapist, hairstylist, manicurist and fitness trainer on duty 24/7. Non-alcoholic drinks. Microwave ovens. Mood music. Direct phone lines with automatic dialing to nannies and other caregivers. Surveillance cameras of nannies and other caregivers. Footwarmers. Comforters. Rocking chairs.

And there’s one more thing needed in order to give returning mothers, who might be somewhat tired from all their responsibilities, the royal treatment they deserve: A queen-size bed. With satin sheets and pillow cases.

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Carol Kleiman’s column also appears in Wednesday’s Working section and Sunday’s Business section. Watch her Career Coach segments on CLTV. E-mail [email protected].