National Breastfeeding Month – Important Legalities

Happy National Breastfeeding Month, Gals!!

I won’t bother touching upon the “breastfeeding is best but do what works for you” topic, as I think you’re all smart enough to know that.  In honor of Breastfeeding Month, I’m presenting two important items – first, a new nipple butter with no GMO’s (yes nipple butter works and is VERY Necessary).   Second, some legal information about pumping at work.  I was really glad to come across this information from Tom Spiggle –  author of “You’re Pregnant, You’re Fired!” Some really important advice and legal info below on a topic that no one really tells you about and YOU will be the only one who can advocate for yourself.

But first, to nipple butter – YUM.  The products from Earth Mama Angel Baby, are all natural and zero-toxin herbal based personal care products for Pregnancy through Postpartum Recovery, Breastfeeding and Baby Care. Their natural nipple butter is the only one on the market that is non GMO project verified, it’s also clinically tested, hospital recommended, lanolin-free and zero toxin. 

I dare you to visit their website and only check out with one thing.  It’s all so adorable!

On to some interesting/disappointing/confusing (what else is new about being a woman in the workplace) legagilies about pumping at work.  If you don’t protect yourself and your rights, NO ONE will.

The aforementioned Tom Spiggle, a lawyer and author who focuses on pregnancy discrimination in the workplace, has recently outlined the rules and regs of pumping in the workplace for us.

“For the first time, women constitute more than half of the workforce and the fastest growing `segment is women with children under the age of three,” says Spiggle. Although many workplaces now provide lactation rooms and staggered breaks forbreastfeeding mothers, they’re often doing so voluntarily as a good business practice to help retain female employees and not as a matter of law. And a good business practice it is.”

Spiggle says the good news is if a woman is covered under the law, her employer must provide a “reasonable break time” to pump milk each time you need to during the day, which is typically every few hours. She must also be given a private space that is not a bathroom where she won’t be bothered by coworkers or customers.

The bad news is a woman’s breast-pumping time doesn’t have to be paid, unless her coworkers also get paid breaks. And employers only have to meet the requirement if they have 50 or more employees. (and p.s. what are the changes your “small business boss” is going to say “No, I don’t have to meet that law because we only have 49 people – go pump in the bathroom”).

Unfortunately, there are some additional loopholes which are quite depressing.  Bottom line, site the above law in order to get rightful pumping breaks and places – pumping is miserable enough without being comfortable.  If you get any pushback, look into this law further – Tom’s website has excellent information.