Declining Support for Workplace Inclusion Jeopardizes America’s Nursing Mothers and Their Babies – Women’s eNews
The current abandonment of initiatives that support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace threatens underrepresented workers on many fronts. While much media attention has understandably focused on the implications for minoritized communities, the loss of policies promoting full inclusion of all employees jeopardizes another group: America’s breastfeeding mothers and their babies.
DEI frameworks support people of many backgrounds by advocating for the fair treatment and full participation of everyone in the workplace. That includes nursing mothers, who have often faced hostile work environments that don’t support the enormous benefits of breastfeeding.
According to the American Board of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, breastmilk is the most nutritious source of nourishment for infants. Breastfed babies have lower risks of asthma, ear infections, childhood obesity, diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) when compared to formula-fed babies. Breastfeeding moms have lower lifelong risks of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. It’s no wonder that 83% of families in the US feed their infants at least some breastmilk. But as support for inclusion dwindles and threats to nursing protections increase, the dangers to mothers and children alike also increase.
In the emergency department, we often care for infants who have been losing weight because they are not consuming enough breastmilk. These babies can rapidly develop dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, requiring emergency treatment and hospitalization. Even before the DEI cuts, mothers had often confided in us that they were essentially forced to stop breastfeeding because their jobs did not offer the accommodations they needed to continue pumping. Many of these families switch to feeding their babies formula, and while this works well for some families, it is not always the best solution. Once mothers start feeding their babies formula, the hormones that signal their bodies to produce more breastmilk decrease, resulting in a dwindling supply of milk. Formula lacks many of the nutritional benefits of breastmilk. It can also be quite expensive, and sometimes families who cannot easily afford formula are forced to resort to strategies like diluting it with extra water to try to stretch it, further increasing the risk of complications, such as seizures.
Furthermore, there’s a productivity argument to supporting breastfeeding: breastfeeding economically benefits companies because it leads to higher employee retention and decreased medical insurance expenses, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Parents of breastfed babies—both mothers and fathers—use significantly less sick time after their babies are born. Breastmilk contains important antibodies that help breastfed babies fight off infection, which are not found in infant formula.
According to President Trump’s executive order, dismantling diversity and inclusion programs will encourage “individual initiative, skills, performance, and hard work.” Ironically, the DEI efforts that are under attack are actually those that foster inclusion so underrepresented employees—like breastfeeding mothers—can perform at their best.
Breastfeeding is more widely accepted in the workplace now than in the past, so perhaps critics don’t see the threat. But that acceptance did not happen on its own; it was driven by recent federal laws around inclusion, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act of 2010 and the PUMP Act of 2022. Yet, even after these laws were passed, 60% of working women report their employers do not offer unpaid break time and a clean place to pump—both of which are legally required by these mandates. Any mother who has ever pumped sitting on the dirty floor of a bathroom at work can tell you how important it is to have reasonable accommodations like a clean space and break time (typically unpaid) for expressing milk.
When workplaces do not accommodate breastfeeding, mothers often skip pumping, which can be both painful and dangerous. Most breastfeeding moms need to pump every three to six hours. Skipping pumping can lead to engorgement, where the breasts becomes sore and swollen. Engorgement can rapidly lead to an infection of the breast tissue called mastitis. In addition to antibiotics, the typical treatment for mastitis is more frequent nursing or pumping. Beyond the risk of infection, skipping pumping results in a drop in milk supply. Mothers should not have to worry whether they can produce enough milk for their babies because their right to pump at work has been violated.
Without support for inclusion, employees have less recourse when faced with a violation of their right to pump. When a lactating mother is not allowed to pump at work, a human resources representative can work with her and her employer to find a solution that protects her rights. This collaborative approach avoids the need for legal action—a long, expensive process that creates hostility on both sides. Fewer diversity and inclusion policies and programs, and fewer employees dedicated to supporting them, means more expense and less productivity at the office. It also means worsening health for babies and moms.
If the current administration truly wants to establish an American workforce that prioritizes talent, aptitude, and work ethic, it must reconsider its approach. Instead of attacking diversity and inclusion in the workplace, it should build bridges to help employers recruit and retain the best employees, including those who also happen to be nursing mothers.
About the Author: Dr. Alexis Cordone is a board-certified emergency physician at Yale-New Haven Health and a Public Voices Fellow of The OpEd Project. Any views expressed are her own.
