A Fist Pump for the PUMP Act

Sometimes, as the saying goes, it takes an act of Congress. That was the case this past December 29th, when U.S. representatives voted in the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act and gave nearly nine million more women the legal right to take breastpumping breaks during the workday, in any private space other than a bathroom. I am simultaneously elated to see reproductive rights recognized and mystified that the simple act of breastfeeding needed congressional approval.

Now that the PUMP Act has been signed, it’s up to us to help turn a law into a lifestyle. Expectant and new parents can speak for all working women by asking their human resources manager to push for a safe and private lactation space at the office. HR managers, for their part, are perfectly positioned to educate their colleagues, not just about what the PUMP Act asks of employers, but about the incredible appreciation and loyalty that will come from removing obstacles and offering tangible support to employees during a huge life transition.

Here's the bottom line as I see it: Breastfeeding saves lives, and pumping is breastfeeding. Nursing moms who are unable to empty their breasts will experience reduced milk supply. They may develop breast infections that result in time off work, and succumb to emotional distress and depression. The PUMP Act’s required changes don’t have to be huge or difficult; they just have to be reasonable. Companies taking the legislation to heart will build a stronger, more enduring workforce by retaining and even attracting some of the best employees out there: women.

#IWD2023 #embraceequity #workingparents #workingmoms