The study ‘Maternal well-being, infant feeding and return to paid work’ was funded by the Nuffield Foundation and was led by Professor Sarah Jewell, with co-investigators of Dr Sam Rawlings, Professor Marina Della Giusta, Professor Grace James and Professor Sylvia Jaworska and Dr Fari Aftab.
About the Study
The study aimed to understand how breastfeeding employees could be better supported in the workplace, with an emphasis on maternal wellbeing, and how employers can be better equipped to support their employees. The study drew on a survey and interviews of mothers, the perspective of HR professionals and Line managers, and national datasets.
Key Findings and Implications
The study found that whilst there are general positive intentions among HR professionals and line managers, there is a lack of awareness in many workplaces of what is needed to support breastfeeding employees – both in terms of the legal obligations and practicalities. Further, there is a lack of awareness among returning mothers of what to expect in terms of their own (body) and child adjustments, practicalities and workplace support, leading to pre-return anxiety and concerns.
The current legal framework and guidance is not strong enough to ensure mothers can breastfeed/express breastmilk in hygienic and private places in the workplace or have the time to do so, thereby putting women’s physical and emotional wellbeing at risk. Furthermore, this lack of guidance results in an absence of formal workplace policy/structures leading to the onus being placed on mothers and line managers to make accommodations work.
It is clear that when adequately supported returning mothers are able to reach infant feeding goals then the return to paid work can be a positive experience which benefits all parties. Positive emotions were tied to being able to reconnect with their child through breastfeeding and being supported in meeting breastfeeding goals. Whilst some mothers have positive experiences, the lack of formal policy/structures, and awareness led to negative impacts on physical and emotional wellbeing.
This study has shown that mothers, HR professionals and line managers would benefit from greater awareness, information and guidance on the practicalities of combining breastfeeding and paid work, legal obligations and best practice. Therefore we have developed toolkits to support both mothers and employers, reflecting that experiences and the practicalities vary across mothers and workplaces, and the need for open/inclusive communication.
You can read more about the study’s findings and implications in the study report
The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable trust with a mission to advance social wellbeing. It funds research that informs social policy, primarily in Education, Welfare, and Justice. The Nuffield Foundation is the founder and co-funder of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, the Ada Lovelace Institute and the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory. The Foundation has funded this project, but the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily the Foundation.
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