Once upon a time, there were two employees of the same organization named Mr and Mrs AB. Although they worked at different locations, they shared a common goal – to provide the best care and support for their family, including their newborn child.
Initially, before the birth of their first child, they had no knowledge or understanding about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding. However, during her antenatal clinic, Mrs AB met with a healthcare provider who was able to educate her about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding and how it can have a positive impact on both the mother and the child’s health.
Mrs AB felt empowered and elated to hear about the advantages of exclusive breastfeeding and discussed with her husband about their plan to breastfeed their child for two years. They took several classes and talked to other parents for advice.
Luckily, they work for an organization that realized the importance of breastfeeding to the health of their employees and their families. The couple was given four months of paid maternity leave, enabling Mrs. AB to have sufficient time to bond with her child, take care of herself, and start exclusive breastfeeding with ease.
Moreover, the organization provided breastfeeding facilities in a friendly environment for lactating mothers, making it easy for Mrs. AB to breastfeed her child at work while maintaining her work responsibilities.
Despite the challenges of juggling work and breastfeeding, Mrs. AB was motivated by the location of the caregiver and seeing other colleagues who successfully combined motherhood and work. Her husband, Mr. AB, also played a critical role in supporting her by taking care of some household chores after the day’s work.
Today, their child is healthy, resilient, and full of life, as they continued to breastfeed exclusively for six months. Their child’s immune system was well developed due to exclusive breastfeeding, and they never missed work due to a sick child in the hospital.
This organization’s commitment to supporting women of childbearing age with parenting-friendly programs has resulted in reducing their need for yearly recruitment due to employee turnover.
Exclusive breastfeeding has several benefits, including improving the mother’s physical and psychological well-being, boosting the child’s immune system, and provides an opportunity for both parents to bond with the child. Companies that provide supportive policies for women in the workforce can expect reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, and higher employee satisfaction among working mothers.
