Supporting Working Moms Act

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Sponsored by Jeff Merkley (Dem) of Ore., a bill to amend Section 13(a) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 213(a)) regarding reasonable break time for nursing mothers has been assigned to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. The bill was originally introduced in the House in May 2013, but died.

It is critical to support breastfeeding through policy rather than rhetoric. Nursing mothers face numerous individual, social and environmental barriers to breastfeeding, which is why breastfeeding duration rates at three, six, and twelve months are drastically lower than breastfeeding initiation rates, particularly among Latina mothers.

Breastfeeding is associated with numerous health benefits for mother and infant, such as reduced risk for obesity; however, disparities in breastfeeding rates and obesity rates afflict Latinos more than whites.

According to an Afro Latina health blogger, “Women pumping breast milk do not need any additional obstacle put in our path. And doctors agree: Breastfeeding is best for babies and moms.”

Policies providing reasonable break time for nursing mothers could increase breastfeeding rates for working Latina mothers and support an overall culture shift to reduce stigma and support breastfeeding for all Latina mothers, which will help reduce Latino childhood obesity.

Learn more about this proposed bill.

Share on Twitter: Policy is needed to truly support #breastfeeding mothers in the workforce http://goo.gl/Jf6maJ @MomsRising @govtrack #SaludAmerica #bfing