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SR 14 - Workplace - program to assist new mothers who are breastfeeding

James, Donzella (35th)	Butler, Gloria (55th)

Status Summary	SC:	I&L	HC:		FR:	01/15/99	LA:	02/16/99	S - Passed/Adopted

First Reader Summary

A resolution encouraging employers to establish family-friendly workplace environments by establishing programs or policies to assist new mothers who continue to breastfeed upon reentering the workforce.

SR 14  99                                          LC 19 4007 
 
      SENATE RESOLUTION 14 
 
      By:  Senators James of the 35th and Butler of the 55th 
 
 
                             A RESOLUTION 
 
  1- 1  Encouraging employers to establish family-friendly workplace 
  1- 2  environments by establishing programs or policies to assist 
  1- 3  new mothers who continue to breastfeed upon reentering the 
  1- 4  workforce; and for other purposes. 
 
  1- 5  WHEREAS, women with infants and toddlers are the fastest 
  1- 6  growing segment of today's workforce; and 
 
  1- 7  WHEREAS, at least 50 percent of women who are employed when 
  1- 8  they become pregnant return to the labor force by the time 
  1- 9  their children are three months old; and 
 
  1-10  WHEREAS, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 
  1-11  breastfeeding for at least the first 12 months of a child's 
  1-12  life; and 
 
  1-13  WHEREAS, the academy also recommends that arrangements be 
  1-14  made to provide expressed breastmilk if mother and child are 
  1-15  separated; and 
 
  1-16  WHEREAS, in 1997, the United States had one of the lowest 
  1-17  breastfeeding rates of all industrialized nations and one of 
  1-18  the highest rates of infant mortality; and 
 
  1-19  WHEREAS, breastmilk contains all the nutrients a child needs 
  1-20  for ideal growth and development; additionally, breastmilk 
  1-21  promotes closeness between mother and child; and 
 
  1-22  WHEREAS, research shows that children who are not breastfed 
  1-23  have higher rates of mortality, meningitis, some types of 
  1-24  cancers, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses, bacterial 
  1-25  infections, diarrheal diseases, otitis media, allergies, and 
  1-26  obesity; and 
 
  1-27  WHEREAS, women who wish to continue breastfeeding after 
  1-28  returning to work have relatively few needs:  availability 
  1-29  of suitable, dependable, efficient breast pumps; a clean, 
  1-30  convenient, safe, private, and comfortable location to 
  1-31  express milk at the worksite; the opportunity to pump their 
  1-32  breasts frequently enough to maintain their milk supply; and 
  1-33  an adequate place to temporarily store expressed milk; and 
 
  1-34  WHEREAS, many employers have seen positive results from 
  1-35  facilitating lactation programs in the workplace, including 
 
 
                                 -1- 
 
 
 
  2- 1  low absenteeism, high productivity, high company loyalty, 
  2- 2  high employee morale, and lower health care costs; and 
 
  2- 3  WHEREAS, parental absenteeism due to infant illness is three 
  2- 4  times greater among the parents of formula-fed children than 
  2- 5  those that are breastfed; and 
 
  2- 6  WHEREAS, worksite lactation programs that aim to improve 
  2- 7  infant health may also bring about a reduction in parental 
  2- 8  absenteeism and health insurance costs. 
 
  2- 9  NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the 
  2-10  members of this body encourage employers to establish 
  2-11  family-friendly workplace environments by establishing 
  2-12  lactation programs that assist new mothers who continue to 
  2-13  breastfeed upon reentering the workforce. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                 -2-