Breastfeeding in the Workplace

NEWS RELEASE

NORTH BAY, ON — The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (Health Unit) is kicking off National Breastfeeding Week by placing life sized cutouts of a breastfeeding parent and baby in businesses throughout the Nipissing and Parry Sound districts. This year's focus is to support breastfeeding in the workplace, aligning with the theme: Enabling Breastfeeding, Making a Difference for Working Parents.

Health Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society recommend breastfeeding up to two years and beyond. According to provincial data, many families initiate breastfeeding after birth but do not reach their breastfeeding goals because they feel uncomfortable breastfeeding in public, at work or school, or they may not know where to get appropriate support. Breastfeeding families are more likely to reach their breastfeeding goals with support.

Canada is fortunate to have a maternity and parental leave policy that is more generous than many other countries in terms of duration, flexibility and paid benefits. However, the Health Unit recognizes there may be barriers for people to utilize these benefits. Some parents may also struggle to continue to breastfeed when they return to work for many reasons, but stigma should not be one of them.

In Ontario, pregnant and breastfeeding parents are protected from discrimination under the Ontario Human Rights Commission. This includes the right to be accommodated when a breastfeeding parent returns to work so that parents can continue to breastfeed.

“The cutouts have multiple purposes: to increase breastfeeding visibility, get people talking about breastfeeding, and to show our support as a community for breastfeeding parents in the workplace,” says Beryl Cotterall, public health nurse in the Health Unit’s Healthy Families program.

Businesses are encouraged to learn about and implement the supports necessary so breastfeeding staff can feel comfortable nourishing their young ones while working.

For more information on breastfeeding and breastfeeding support, visit www.myhealthunit.ca/breastfeeding.

Quick Facts

• In Canada, National Breastfeeding Week is celebrated from Oct. 1 to 7, 2023.
• According to Canada’s Breastfeeding Progress Report 2022, published by the Public Health Agency of Canada, over 91 per cent of mothers initiate breastfeeding but one in seven stop before the baby reaches one month of age.
• The Health Unit offers breastfeeding support programs and resources, including breastfeeding clinics, peer support education and telephone support.

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