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	new baby breastfeeding

6 Ways Employers Can Help Working Mothers
By Nadia Ramoutar Reardon

1. Provide Pumping Facilities. Many mothers hate to pump breastmilk in their impersonal office, and many others don't have the luxury of a private office or other space at all. Providing a comfortable, private lactation room makes the experience much easier and pleasant--not to mention faster, so they can get back to work.

2. Be Flexible. If employers allowed mothers a little more flexibility in how they did their jobs, it would relieve a lot of pressure. "A flexible boss is paramount," comments Arlene Brislane, a working mother in Chicago, "but there's really no way to legislate that." Allowing mothers to leave early or come in late once their workload is completed can make the difference between a family needing part-time and full-time daycare. It also eases a nursing mother's pumping schedule. These may seem like small issues, but for many women they can be monumental.

3. Make Room for Newborns and After School Care. "Making sure my son gets his homework done when I get home from work--and then cooking dinner--leaves me exhausted," says Wendy Sawyer, a single mother in Florida. "How about providing a space where he can do his homework, and I know that he is safe?" The after school hours are major concern for many parents.

Another critical time is when babies are first born. Allowing mothers to bring newborns to the office eases the transition back to work. Newborns sleep most of the time, are not mobile, and (often) cry softly. Arrangements can be made to allow moms to bring baby to the office at least some of the time.

4. Combine All Vacation and Sick Leave as Personal Time. Combining these absences under the general umbrella of "personal leave" allows parents to either attend to their sick child or their own health needs--or actually take a vacation--without worrying about what the employer will think. "An allotment of leave that relates to child-friendly time for such things as school meetings or teacher conferences would create less of a pull on mothers," Herman suggests.

5. Acknowledge That the Kids Exist. Parents love to talk about their children--that's no secret. Employers who show an interest in their employees' children and their well-being create a caring workplace. Further, organizing family events like holiday parties, picnics, or outings makes staffers feel that they are part of an extended family--that of the office. Conversely, too many mandatory work-related social functions outside of the office without the reciprocal balance of family-oriented work events can be demoralizing and stressful for a working parent.

6. Be Patient. Parents hate disrupting their schedules as much as employers dislike having them disrupted. Many of the conflicts and challenges parents face are short-lived. Young babies may need regular trips to the pediatrician; older children have school plays or sports games; teens might have a special event to attend. Childhood only lasts a short time, and the truth is if mothers have to choose between work and their family, most will eventually choose to work--somewhere else.