Cebu City – It is common knowledge that breastfeeding has advantages for both the economy and public health. In addition to providing nutrients, breastmilk is also a painless vaccine from the mother and a form of medicine that protects the newborn. It gives the human brain its building blocks, and many studies noted the effects of breastfeeding on intelligence and upward social mobility.

However, based on a recent survey conducted by aliveandthrive.org, only one out of every three Filipino children is breastfed. One of the most frequent reasons for stopping breastfeeding is that mothers need to return to work. It might be challenging for working mothers who are nursing to express milk and adhere to company standards at the same time. They require breastfeeding spaces and ample time to express themselves at work.

It is on this premise that the government passed Republic Act 10028 in 2009, also known as the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act to assist, safeguard, and support working women who are breastfeeding. The law contains measures requiring employers to implement specific rules in the workplace to benefit breastfeeding mothers at work. The measures include:

• The establishment of a lactation station for nursing mothers is required by law in workplaces. There must be breastfeeding stations with all the necessary supplies and amenities, including a restroom for hand washing, a refrigerator for storing breastmilk, electrical outlets for breast pumps, plush chairs, and a table. The station cannot be placed inside the bathroom, according to the law. Additionally, businesses are not allowed to advertise, market, or sell infant formula inside of these lactation stations.
  
  

• Breastfeeding moms are entitled to lactation breaks. These break periods will consider the travel time to and from their office to the lactation station provided by the business. These must be regarded as compensated hours according to the legislation. Even though changes may be allowed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the law mandates at least 40 minutes of breastfeeding time for each 8-hour workday. This allows nursing mothers to express breast milk for 2-3 times throughout the course of a workday, each lasting 15 to 30 minutes.

Working mothers find it difficult to continue nursing their babies after returning to the work, and they require support. Working mothers' decisions to breastfeed are influenced by their spouses' and families' support. Employers have a responsibility to give women a support network and facilities at work where they can express and store breast milk. To successfully breastfeed, women need both internal and external help to get over obstacles. // ND II Teresito M. Caayaman III, RND