Lactation Lounge Is Latest Addition to Jefferson Efforts to Promote a Healthier Start for Young Lives

Recognizing that a growing number of women are returning to work while breastfeeding their newborns, Jefferson opened a lactation lounge for female employees. This private comfortable room is located on the 11th floor of the Foerderer Pavilion and is equipped with electric breast pumps, a refrigerator for milk storage and an in-house phone. Separated from their baby and unable to breastfeed during the day, back-at-work moms can use the breast pumps to express their milk to feed their baby later.

Repeated studies have shown that the disease-fighting properties of mother's milk help protect babies from diarrhea, allergies, infection and other ailments. Not only are babies more resistant to illness, nursing moms recover faster from delivery and use less sick time or personal leave because their infants are healthier.

Despite the benefits of breastfeeding for mother and child, it's often the workplace environment that influences whether working moms continue to nurse. Fifty-five percent of working mothers try breastfeeding after giving birth, but six months later only 24 percent of part-time and 12.5 percent of full-time mothers are still continuing to breastfeed, according to figures from the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies National Coalition.

"To maintain her supply of breast milk, a nursing woman must be able to express her milk regularly throughout the day," explains Joan Bretschneider, RN, PhD, assistant nursing director of the Women and Children Care Program. "Companies, including Jefferson, that provide support and resources to breastfeeding moms, including a private place where they can pump and store their milk, demonstrate that they care about the health of mothers and babies."

All female employees taking a maternity leave of absence are sent a letter informing them of and inviting them to use Jefferson's lactation lounge. In addition to the lactation lounge, Jefferson offers other services to support breastfeeding women. The Parent Education Program offers a free "Combining a Career and Breastfeeding" class every six weeks for expectant and new moms. The Breastfeeding Support Program is staffed by certified lactation consultants who can answer questions and provide information about topics related to breastfeeding. The Jeff Quip retail store carries a variety of breastfeeding aids to help nursing moms at home and at work.

"With the lactation lounge, I didn't have to choose between breastfeeding or returning to work," says Maria Pharr, MD, a fellow in family medicine. "Everyone benefits from this service ­p; me, my baby and Jefferson. I would encourage all breastfeeding working moms to take advantage of Jefferson's breastfeeding resources."