Support for breastfeeding

We support all parents and carers on their decision to breastfeed or bottle feed their babies. For employees who are breastfeeding, returning to work can limit the length of time that breastfeeding is possible.

Breastfeeding and work

You can bring your baby to work to breastfeed. If possible, arrange for the baby’s carer to bring the baby to you at work.

Support we offer

Our support for breastfeeding at work can benefit employees and their work teams by:

• giving the employee more flexibility on how long to breastfeed their child
• supporting a successful return to work after parental leave
• reducing absenteeism
• encouraging positive working relations
• reinforcing our commitment to work/life balance.

Your options

You have several options to allow you to breastfeed your baby, including:

• delaying your return to work until your baby can go without breastfeeds during your work time
• returning to work part-time for a temporary period while still breastfeeding
• using onsite childcare so you can breastfeed your baby at work
• having the baby’s carer bring him/her to work for breastfeeds
• expressing breast milk at work.

Under work health and safety legislation, a breastfeeding mother is entitled to a safe workplace that does not place her or her baby in danger. If you think there might be a risk, you may want to consult your healthcare provider or early childhood nurse. Please discuss any changes that need to be made with your manager.

Carers rooms

Each of our campuses offers a parent room open to parents, carers and young children. These rooms offer spaces for breastfeeding, expressing milk, changing nappies and caring for children.

Albury-Wodonga

Bathurst

Dubbo

Orange

Wagga Wagga

Guidelines for using carer's rooms

The guidelines for the use of the rooms are:

• Be courteous and respectful of parents, carers and young children in the room at the same time
• Understand that this facility is a shared space/resource for all parents, carers and their young children
• Appropriate use of the room would include a quiet study space when accompanied by young children, and/or for breastfeeding, expressing milk, changing infants, or for caring for young children

We welcome community members visiting Charles Sturt University who are parents or carers to use the room.

Preparing to come back to work

As soon as you know what you need, it's a good idea to make childcare arrangements on campus (if available). Places are highly sought-after, so it's best to make these arrangements as soon as you know you're pregnant. This will make it easier for you to breastfeed your child at work instead of expressing.

Plan in advance how you'd like to come back to work and continue to breastfeed. We suggest you talk with your healthcare provider and explore the options.

Lactation breaks

We provide reasonable flexibility for lactation breaks during the work day, taking into account the operational requirements of the area. This could include:

• flexible starting and finishing times
• use of accrued flexi-leave
• time off for you to express breast milk or breastfeed your baby on campus
• allowing lunch and/or other breaks to coincide with feeding times and/or be extended
• a short period of time to return home for purposes of feeding.

A combination of breaks in paid time and flexi-time can be negotiated with your supervisor, using any of the options above.

The International Labour Organisation recommends two thirty-minute breaks in an eight-hour shift for breastfeeding mothers on top of normal breaks. However, the number of breaks required will vary depending on the age and needs of the individual child.

Negotiating breastfeeding breaks

Contact your manager as soon as you're certain of your intentions to continue breastfeeding when you return to work. In this discussion, you should explore:

• suitable space for you to breastfeed and/or express
• arrangements regarding lactation breaks.

These arrangements should be reviewed regularly as your baby’s needs change and to take account of the operational requirements of the area.

Concerns

If you're concerned about breastfeeding at work, contact the Division of People and Culture who will refer your enquiry to the appropriate team.

More information

In the first instance, you should seek information from your healthcare provider or early childhood nurse.

Australian Breastfeeding Association

Access a wealth of information on breastfeeding and the National Breastfeeding Helpline.

Breastfeeding Policy

The policy outlines our approach to breastfeeding on Charles Sturt campuses.