Thursday, November 21, 2002

Breast is best "

Women now have the right to breastfeed at work

By SHELLY DECKER, EDMONTON SUN

Many women don't know they have the right to breastfeed at work, believes a spokesman for a local advocacy group.
Despite a Calgary decision last year that ruled in favour of a woman's right to bring her child into the office to breastfeed, the topic comes up at most monthly meetings of an Edmonton La Leche League chapter.
"My sense is that many women either don't start breastfeeding because they're anticipating returning to work or they stop before they return to work because they don't know how they're going to make it work," said Fiona Audy, a spokesman for the group that provides breastfeeding support and information.
"I'd say it's a big issue."
"Women are worried about how it's going to be received in the workplace. I don't think it's one of those things that gets talked about enough that people realize it's a right."
The topic garners interest at workplace seminars given by Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission education director Nicholas Ameyaw."
[Such a good point made by Audy - women need to know that it's possible to continue breastfeeding after they returnto work. Note also this article references a woman who has a 10-month-old daughter and who plans to express milk when she returns to work in 2 months. How many people will notice that this mom has decided it's important to continue breastmilk beyond the first year? yay! - jc]