UK lags behind on breastfeeding at work

It is largely recognised that breastfeeding benefits both babies and mothers in terms of nutrition, protection from illness and bonding. LJMU researcher Dr Danielle Hinchcliffe and colleagues at York St John University conducted a study into low rates of breastfeeding among employees returning to work. The study exposes the extent of breastfeeding challenges in the UK and the need for legislative reform. We spoke to her …

Why does the UK have such low breastfeeding rates?

There are many contributing factors, but it largely comes down to a lack of national policy to protect breastfeeding mothers in the workplace, the failure to embed breastfeeding in the curriculum at school in subjects like human biology and in medical professions training, and the imbalance of information on infant feeding caused by the aggressive marketing of formula feeding, which leaves mothers inadequately supported to make an informed decision on how to feed their baby.

What did your particular study find?

We surveyed almost 1,000 women in the NHS and found that health sector employees are not well supported to breastfeed upon return to work. Only 36.3% of the participants reported their workplace had a breastfeeding policy. Participants cited breastfeeding as a reason for staying longer on maternity leave because of lack of workplace support. This also affected mothers’ ability to benefit from shared parental leave, as it would require the mother to return to work early.

How does the NHS compare to the wider picture in UK workplaces?

These issues are systemic – but clearly the fact that the situation is thus in the healthcare sector is more notable and ironic.

How easy would it be to make progress here, do you think?

We need the Government to make breastfeeding a priority. They could embed breastfeeding in the curriculum, particularly with health professionals training and Human Biology teaching at school. They could provide a policy on breastfeeding in the workplace that would protect the rights of breastfeeding mothers in the workplaces. They could better regulate the marketing of infant formula milk, guarantee a sustained funding support to breastfeeding organisations who play a key part in support mothers, and also include breastfeeding support on the net Zero Environmental agenda given that it would reduce impacts of mass production of formula milk.

Tell us about your motivation?

I am a breastfeeding mother – these issues are apparent in academia. I connected with Ernestine at an AdvanceHE conference when I was the ED&I Lead for the School of Science, Engineering and Environment at the University of Salford. I have a track record for driving positive cultural change in academia, working on projects such as decolonising the curriculum and am currently working with LJMU HR to introduce a fertility leave policy that protects employees undergoing fertility treatment.

Is there currently any legislation to force change in this arena?

Last year, my co-author launched a “Breastfeeding: Not on the Agenda” campaign which involved making a powerful documentary featuring breastfeeding mothers and health professionals, and presenting a petition to Government. The idea is to obligate employers to provide resources to support breastfeeding mothers in the workplace. The outcomes are yet to be defined.

-The research paper The Impact of Legal Policies and Workplace Culture on Breastfeeding in the UK Health Sector was authored by Ernestine Gheyoh Ndzi, Danielle Hinchcliffe and Darcy Neilson and published in The International Journal of Law and Society.