Brochure Outlines Options for
Establishing a Nursing
Mothers Program

Agencies interested in expanding their family-friendly workplace options might consider establishing a nursing mothers’ program. For information about how to get one started, check out Establishing a Nursing Mothers Program: A Guide for the Federal Workplace, a brochure just issued by the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Family-Friendly Workplace Advocacy Office.

The guide tells agencies how to establish a program to support mothers coming back to work who want to continue lactation. An on-site program helps to reduce nursing mothers’ stress because it is convenient and saves time; offering this kind of support also helps nursing mothers return to work earlier and stay productive on the job.

Each element of a program is discussed in terms of why it is needed, what it should consist of, and the kinds of standards that should apply. Programs may range from one that operates with  minimal requirements to one that provides even broader support for nursing mothers.

Agencies with few resources, for example, may be able to offer a program with "the bare essentials" — a private room with an electrical outlet, a refrigerator, and a chair. Programs that start with the bare essentials can expand gradually as resources become available. If the resources are available to offer broader support, agencies can have programs that include not only space, but furniture, a breast pump, and supplies, as well as a point of contact to maintain schedules and monitor operations of the room.

The guide gives descriptions of seven nursing mothers programs operating in Federal agencies and tells how they may be contacted for questions. The guide also lists national resources for breast feeding education, management and support, and lists suppliers of breast pumps.

Readers who want more information about programs and how to order Establishing a Nursing Mothers Program: A Guide for the Federal Workplace, are encouraged to contact OPM’s Family-Friendly Workplace Advocacy Office by phone or email at (202) 606-5520 or workandfamily@opm.gov or visit its web site at www.opm.gov/wrkfam.