Looking for BFing and pumping studies

[Morgana]

I've come across many articles about BFing and pumping in the workplace that talk about studies that have shown that a workplace lactation program actually saves companies money. But I don't think I've actually seen a link to the actual studies. Anyone know where I can look? Also, I'm looking for studies that show BF babies are generally healthier than FF babies ie less ear infections etc.

I've posted a few times about my struggles with my employer in finding a pumping space and I just had a meeting yesterday with the director of HR (among a few other upper management people) who really said some things he shouldn't have. DH is furious and wants me to write a very nice and polite letter to corporate and send them copies of these studies and the Health and Human Services packet about workplace lactation programs. I'm not sure if I want to take it that far but I figured I can at least prepare the letter and find the studies and then decide if I want to actually send it. Thanks!

[MaryJaneLouise]

http://www.usbreastfeeding.org/Issue.../Workplace.pdf

Cohen, R, Mrtek MB, Mrtek RG.
Comparison of maternal absenteeism and infant illness rates among breast-feeding and formula-feeding women in two corporations. Am J Health Promotion 1995; 10: 148–153.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum

Look for more later.

[PatioGardener]

I don't have access to any studies right now, but I can suggest looking for studies about illness in breastfed babies - there is evidence out there that talk about fewer illnesses. And if baby is sick, a parent usually has to stay home from work with them = more cost to company.

[MaryJaneLouise]

Do you have a copy of this? It's free, but you have to order it & it is snail mailed to you:

The Business Case for Breastfeeding. Steps for Creating a Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite: Bottom Line Benefits [Kit]

http://ask.hrsa.gov/detail.cfm?PubID=MCH00250

[MaryJaneLouise]

http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/p...ar_BusCase.pdf

has some references, I'll try to dig them out soon.

[MaryJaneLouise]

Ball, 1999 Health care costs of formula-feeding in the first year of life.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum

Ball 2001 The economic impact of breastfeeding
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum

Cohen 1995 Comparison of maternal absenteeism and infant illness rates among breast-feeding and formula-feeding women in two corporations.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum

Ortiz 2004 (listed as Ortiz 2006 on that HHS slide)

Duration of breast milk expression among working mothers enrolled in an employer-sponsored lactation program.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum

Galtry 1997 Lactation and the labor market: breastfeeding, labor market changes, and public policy in the United States.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9...ubmed_RVDocSum

Schwartz, D.B. (1996), "The impact of work-family policies on women's career development: boon or bust?", Women in Management Review, Vol. 11 No.1,

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insigh...&history=false

Cohen 1994 The impact of two corporate lactation programs on the incidence and duration of breast-feeding by employed mothers.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum

Another good powerpoint with lots of references

http://www.utahbreastfeeding.org/fil...r_UBC_Site.pdf

[Morgana]

Originally Posted by MaryJaneLouise

Do you have a copy of this? It's free, but you have to order it & it is snail mailed to you:

The Business Case for Breastfeeding. Steps for Creating a Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite: Bottom Line Benefits [Kit]

http://ask.hrsa.gov/detail.cfm?PubID=MCH00250

Yep, that's what Dh wants me to send to corporate HR. I meant to give it to the director of my location's HR at the meeting yesterday but it became very clear that he is not at all supportive. Of course he says he is but then follows up that statement with other statements that show that his "support" is simply politically correct BS. So, I figured it would just end up in the trash as soon as soon as I left. He actually said that the reason they don't and never will have a dedicated pumping room is because the building was not built with one.

Thank you MaryJaneLouise for all those links! That's just what I was looking for.

[MaryJaneLouise]

If you need any of the original long articles, PM me, I might be able to help. For most purposes, the HHS guides and the summary presentations & the abstracts should be enoug info.

[MaryJaneLouise]

This isn't the original source document, but an interesting quote:

http://webcast.hrsa.gov/archives/mch...transcript.pdf

One company that we talked to has a phenomenal program. It's the Mutual of Omaha. It provides education for mothers prenatally and postpartum. They have access to lactation consultants, international board certified lactation consultants. They are available to see the mothers in the hospital and once they return to work. They provide beautiful lactation rooms for mothers to express milk and flexible scheduling so that the mothers can express their breast milk during their workday. They did data and found that newborn health care costs were three times less for mothers who were enrolled in the program. That was an annual savings for them of $115,881. Just in health care costs. And the bottom line for them, an annual savings per participant of $2,146. Aetna is another company with a fabulous comprehensive work site lactation program. Very similar to the program that Mutual of Omaha provides and they found as a result of their program that they saved $1,435 in medical claims per breastfed infant during the first year of life. Their annual savings was $108,737 for an annual return on investment of three to one. That means every dollar they invested in the program, they have a threefold return and annual savings per participant of $1,435. This is important data that businesses need to see. Cigna also has a comprehensive program in place and all three of these companies that I'm describing are featured on the tool kit C.D. rom so you can read more about their programs. This program resulted in a 77% reduction in lost work time due to infant illness. So we see that lactation support does help women to stay at work because their babies are much healthier. Cigna enjoyed an annual savings of $60 just in absenteeism rates. Nationally our employee retention rate, the number of women who come back to work after maternity leave, is 59%. That means we're losing nearly 41% of mothers after they leave their job to have a baby. Companies with lactation programs, however, have higher retention rates. Mutual of Omaha found their program resulted in 83% retention rate and a nine company study conducted a couple of years ago found a 94.2% retention rate among companies that have lactation programs.