Late last month, the U.S. Department of Labor asked the public (that's you) for comments and input on its interpretation of the new law that requires employers to give nursing mothers break time and private lactation space to pump breast milk for their infants. The department also launched a Web site on nursing moms to help employers and employees understand the law, part of broader health care reform enacted last March.
"Many women who want to continue breastfeeding their children simply can't because they do not have the necessary accommodations to do it," Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said in a statement. "What the department is seeking to do is to develop guidance for employers that will assist them in complying with this new law and that will support women who choose to continue nursing once they return to work."
I feel fortunate that I received all the break time I needed to express milk for both my infants, even before the law was passed, although it happened to be in a room that didn't lock. (I quickly learned to pump with my back to the door.) After all, the single biggest obstacle to successful establishment and continuation of breastfeeding is the mom returning to work. An employers' support is crucial for mothers who are able and want to give their baby all the nutritional and immunological benefits of breast milk.
If you'd like to comment on the new law, the Labor Department deadline is Feb. 22. To comment, visit regulations.gov, select "notice" as document type, search for "nursing mothers" and then click "submit a comment" next to the document titled "Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers." You can also view the comments that other people have submitted by clicking "open docket folder."
Please also let us know your thoughts about the law here, and share your experiences with pumping breast milk.
Photo credit: Mel Yates/Getty Images
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Thats wonderful. Good to see that it been realized.