- Sep
- 13
- 2018
Making your life work: We support breastfeeding moms returning to work
If congratulations are in order – Northwell Health welcomes your new family member with warm wishes for good health and happiness. At Northwell, we strive to bring our team members programs and policies to help with work/life integration, including during milestone moments like welcoming a new child into the family.
Clean, equipped, private and nurturing Mother’s Rooms are available at many Northwell locations, encouraging new moms to continue a breastfeeding routine with their newborn.
“For mothers who choose to breastfeed, a supportive work environment plays a huge role in helping moms meet their breastfeeding goals,” says Hank Bernstein, DO, MHCM, FAAP, Principal Investigator, BFREE (Breastfeeding Resiliency, Engagement, and Empowerment). “Breastfeeding longer and exclusively leads to many health benefits for both moms and babies,” he adds.
As natural as it is, breastfeeding is a learned skill that both mother and baby need to navigate together, but know that we are here for you.
Health benefits for moms who breastfeed include:
• A quicker recovery from pregnancy and childbirth
• Lower rates of postpartum depression
• Reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancerHealth benefits for newborns:
• Fewer ear and respiratory infections, as well as resistance to allergies
• Less digestive and weight issues later in life“As a mother who recently returned to work after maternity leave, having the support from Northwell is so important,” says Bella Grossman, PhD, Katz Institute for Women’s Health.
In collaboration with the BFREE Team, Northwell has endorsed an updated Workplace Lactation Policy and assembled resources to support breastfeeding. Find out more on the employee intranet>employee wellness.
“Thank you for nurturing such a needed program,” says Felicia Callan, MD, obstetrician and gynecologist for Northwell.
If you’re a new mom or dad we’d love to hear your comments!
Thank you and Kudos to Northwell for championing this initiative for the Northwell employees! This could easily be one effective retention strategy. As a Baby-Friendly designated facility in 2017, LIJ Forest Hills worked so very hard to achieve the designation. What an accomplishment for the Northwell as well as the staff members, leaders and patients who made it all happened. But with the glory comes the challenges and barriers in continuing the good work. To sustain this wonderful initiative we have to be proactive and innovative. We have to create the much-needed programs that would continually provide breastfeeding educational support… Read more »
Hello Candida, thank you for being a champion for mothers and their babies. I’m going to share your feedback with Dr. Bernstein and the BFREE team who worked on the updates to the Workplace Lactation Policy and the many resources we now host on the intranet.
I am not a mom or a dad. I am a grandma to be. And my daughter in law, a Northwell employee, who is having a baby, is fortunate to work for an organization who supports breastfeeding mothers. This has been a long time in coming and very much improved since I delivered my son – her husband year ago.
Congratulations Northwell!
Thank you, Joan. It’s great to hear from our team members and appreciate your support as well. Please be sure to share the information with your colleagues and refer them to the Breastfeeding Support page on the intranet as needed. — Dina
I am so happy to see that Northwell support this cause. As an employee and a advocate for breastfeeding I am so proud of the institution for supporting mothers to continue breastfeeding after they return to work. I been so grateful since I exclusive breastfed my two children for their first year while I worked at North Shore University Hospital.
Hi Ana, thank you for your input. You’re an inspiration to all moms returning to work who wish to continue to breastfeed. We hope the Mother’s Rooms are well utilized and the support information on the intranet is referred to often.