Key takeaways:
Returning to work after having a new baby is challenging for any parent, especially when navigating how to pump breast milk in the workplace.
Pumping at work can keep up your breast milk supply while you’re away from the newborn for long stretches of time.
If you know your rights and are well prepared, the transition will be easier and you will successfully maintain your milk supply.
About half of all women in the U.S. are in the workforce, and about one-third of them are mothers. Many choose to provide pumped breast milk for their children once they go back to work. Here are some tips to make the back-to-work transition while pumping.
QA Section 1
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, enacted in 2010, outlines the federal requirements for lactating women in the workforce. You are entitled to pump at work if your employer is covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
The FLSA covers employers that have at least two employees and meet one of the following criteria:
Have annual sales of at least $500,000
Are a hospital, a business providing medical or nursing care for residents, a school or preschool, or a government agency
Break time for nursing mothers is the law
If you’re covered under the FLSA, federal law entitles you to a reasonable break to pump breast milk, anytime that you must pump, for at least 1 year after your child’s birth. Your employer is also required to provide you a space that is not a bathroom, is shielded from view, and free from intrusion by others. Some states have even more detailed rules on pumping in the workplace. Check with your state government’s health website for more information.
Should you discuss pumping at work with your employer?
If you plan on pumping at work, it is a good idea to start the discussion early, before your baby is born. That way, your employer can prepare if there is not an existing pumping space available. Come prepared to educate your manager if they are not familiar with the laws on pumping, and to help them understand the impact this will have on your workday. Leave with a plan (in writing, if needed!) so you feel prepared to return to work and pump with ease.
References
Best study we found
Tsertsvadze, A., Fink, H. A., Yazdi, F., et al. (2009). Oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors and hormonal treatments for erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Internal Medicine, 151(9), 650-661.
Burke, R. M., & Evans, J. D. (2012). Avanafil for treatment of erectile dysfunction: review of its potential. Vascular Health and Risk Management, 8, 517-523.
Debruyne, F. M., Gittelman, M., Sperling, H., et al. (2011). Time to onset of action of vardenafil: a retrospective analysis of the pivotal trials for the orodispersible and film-coated tablet formulations. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 8(10), 2912-2923.
Dinsmore, W. W., Hodges, M., Hargreaves, C., et al. (1999). Sildenafil citrate (Viagra) in erectile dysfunction: near normalization in men with broad-spectrum erectile dysfunction compared with age-matched healthy control subjects. Urology, 53(4), 800-805.
FDA. (2012). Stendra Full Prescribing Information. Retrieved from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2014/202276s0