Being Lactation Friendly
Discovering just the resource you need is gratifying. When you get your answer, find a friend, and/or clarify something, then you can move forward.
That’s why our Coalition has created resource lists.
There are resource lists for parents and for providers. In this way, families and supporters can connect. We each add to making our communities more Lactation Friendly.
With the passage of the P.U.M.P Act (*Providing Urgent Maternal Protections ) in December 2024, the MSBC has posted two important guides. One explains what employees should expect for their rights. The other describes how employers can provide lactation support in their workplace.
These are the most popular resources on our website.
You can download those toolkits, employee or employer, and encourage these practices at your work. A Lactation Friendly Workplace is a noteworthy and positive asset of business.
The MSBC celebrates the Town of Brunswick’s commitment to a Lactation Friendly Workplaces.
In the Town of Brunswick, there is a specific lactation friendly policy for the municipal offices, including the public works, parks, library, town hall. This sets an example of how helpful, healthy and do-able a policy can be.
A Lactation Friendly workplace has a policy that includes the state and federal laws. In addition, they include practices, shown by research and experience, that bring about the best outcomes.
Specifically, a workplace puts these steps into action:
Space for employees to express human milk at each location
Provide reasonable, flexible, and adequate break time to express human milk
Prevent and not tolerate discrimination or harassment of employees who are expressing milk or breast/chestfeeding their child.
Just as importantly, these policies are conveyed to all employees and team leaders/managers. Everyone has accurate information and understands the purpose.
The workplace also displays the poster “We Support Lactating Employees”. (available in the MSBC toolkit for workplaces)
There are many ways to encourage lactation.
A Lactation Friendly workplace is one way. There are other resources and each gives the means to families in our communities to sustain lactation. This is how we can enable families to move forward in their new lives.
The Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition connects with individuals and organizations. We meet each other at events, webinars, meetings. This is how we build our resource lists and identify more ways to support families. You may have a certain skill or answer that is just what someone is needing. That’s how we help families and move forward toward a healthier Maine.
Review our resources for parents page.