Need internet access to visit external site.

For working mothers

What works and what hurts

What works: Paid family leave

Working women should not have to decide between breastfeeding and working. The International Labour Organization recommends that governments give women the right to 18 weeks of paid maternity leave and ensure they have time and space for continuing breastfeeding when they return to work. UNICEF recommends using these guidelines as a minimum requirement.

What hurts: Workplaces without breastfeeding-friendly policies

When women do return to work, they need support from their employers to continue breastfeeding. The right to breastfeed in the workplace is critical to women who wish to continue breastfeeding their children, as are sufficient time and appropriate spaces for breastfeeding or expressing and storing breastmilk.