Lactation Support Policies Make Sense, Here's why:

Breastfeeding Saves Money.

Mothers and babies are not the only ones who benefit from breastfeeding. Companies that provide time and space for women to express their milk have been proven to enjoy significant cost savings, including:

• Lower rates of absenteeism
• Lower health care costs
• Better retention of employees
• Higher productivity and company loyalty
• "Retain don't Retrain"

Health Benefits of Breast Milk:

A recent study¹ found that the U.S. could save $13 billion per year in unnecessary medical expenses if 90 percent of new mothers nursed their children exclusively for six months.

Breast Milk Reduces the Risk of:

• Sudden infant death syndrome
• Gastrointestinal disease related to low birth weight
• Ear infections, respiratory tract infections, and childhood obesity

Returning to an unsupportive work environment has been identified as a major reason for the avoidance or early abandonment of breastfeeding.

1. Melissa Bartick and Arnold Reinhold, "The Burden of Suboptimal Breastfeeding in the United States: A Pediatric Cost Analysis," Pediatrics, April 2010.