Texas CEO Magazine July|August 2014 | Page 7

1700+ WORKSITES DESIGNATED The best places to work in Texas are Mother-Friendly. More than half of new mothers who return to work in Texas are unable to reach their breastfeeding goals. Breastfeeding for a minimum of six months benefits mom and baby for a lifetime.1 If a mother chooses to breastfeed, she needs to pump breastmilk during the workday in order to maintain her milk supply. Many moms are afraid to speak to their employers about these needs. Many moms stop breastfeeding altogether. Mother-Friendly businesses understand this need. They support their employees by providing privacy and flexibility to express and store breastmilk. When working mothers’ needs are met, they can better focus on their job responsibilities. This means improved productivity and employee loyalty. Providing a Mother-Friendly worksite benefits an entire workforce. Businesses that support mothers who choose to breastfeed their infants experience improved employee morale, increased employee retention, reduced healthcare costs, and lower absenteeism.2 In fact, breastfeeding mothers have half as many one-day absences from work to care for a sick child compared to mothers of formula-fed infants.3 The Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite Initiative is nationally recognized by the Center for Training and Research Translation as a practice-tested intervention for Worksite Wellness. It’s an easy, worthwhile investment. Create a policy and talk to your employees. Learn more at TexasMotherFriendly.org. A Pr o g r a m o f th e Te x a s D e pa rt m e n t o f Stat e H e a lt h S e r v i c e s . 1 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Breastfeeding and Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Developed Countries. Evidence Report: Technology Assessment, Number 153. 2007. 2 Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The Business Case for Breastfeeding: Steps for Creating a Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite: Bottom Line Benefits. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HRSA. 2008. 3 Cohen R, Mrtek MB, Mrtek RG. Comparison of maternal absenteeism and infant illness rates among breastfeeding and formula-feeding women in two corporations. Am J Health Promot. 1995;10(2):148–53.