Promoting Prenatal Care and Breastfeeding in the Workplace

Abstract

Growing attention to the issue of breastfeeding and the working mother can be attributed, in part, to the growing numbers of women entering and remaining in the labor force. Current labor statistics show that 41% of mothers who participate in the labor force have children under one year of age. As more mothers of young children elect to work, the need for more receptive policies at the worksite concerning the health needs of these women and their children becomes evident. This paper discusses the role that the occupational health nurse can play in making breastfeeding feasible for working mothers.