In many other European countries, breastfeeding mothers have a statutory right to paid breastfeeding breaks or a shorter working day if they have a baby under 12 months. However, UK employees have no legal rights to breastfeeding or pumping breaks.
Mother or one and Primary school teacher Laura Eggleton has created a petition in order to help change this. Motivated by her own experiences of breastfeeding and returning to work after maternity leave, Laura wanted to change how breastfeeding mothers are treated in the workplace.
She says: “Upon my return to work, I had limited knowledge on what my rights were in terms of breastfeeding. This led me to doing my own research and I was shocked with what I found.
I soon realised that if a mother chooses to go back to work, they are at risk of losing pay because of this or even not being able to feed or pump as and when they need to. If a woman can’t pump, engorgement can lead to plugged ducts, mastitis and even abscesses, sometimes requiring hospitalisation and antibiotics.”
Breastfeeding has health benefits for mother and baby
The Department of Health recommends that babies are exclusively breastfed for six months and then breastfed in conjunction with solid food. There are many health benefits to breastfeeding for the mother and the baby.
Laura believes if employers supported breastfeeding mothers at work it would help encourage mothers to go back to work and breastfeed for longer, and avoid health risks when returning to work for breastfeeding mothers. She adds: “Supporting breastfeeding mothers in the workplace could also help reduce staff absence, increase morale and loyalty, and help with staff retention.”
Supporting breastfeeding mothers in the workplace could also help reduce staff absence, increase morale and loyalty, and help with staff retention.Laura Eggleton
A petition to create rights to paid breastfeeding breaks
So passionate is Laura about how breastfeeding parents should be treated in the workplace she has set up a petition to create new rights to paid breastfeeding breaks for mothers.
Laura is hoping to get over 10,000 signatures to the petition, saying: “Let’s come together to help raise awareness, to inform mums what their current rights are and to make a change by signing and sharing this petition.”
Mums go back to work at different stages of their child’s life. Employers don’t legally have to give you a break and if they did, they could deduct pay from your wage or salary. It is only ‘encouraged’ that employers support their employee with breaks etc. To me, this is relying on their good will and while some would be incredibly supportive, unfortunately some are not so understanding.
I feel mums should be able to make a choice about their body and their baby without worrying about whether their work will allow breaks or if they will lose pay because of this.”
Mums should be able to make a choice about their body and their baby without worrying about whether their work will allow breaks or if they will lose pay because of this.Laura Eggleton
If you would like to sign Laura’s petition you can do so here.