Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite Designation Awarded to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern

Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth), joined a growing number of businesses in Rockland County to become a Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite as designated by the Rockland County Department of Health's Breastfeeding Promotion and Support Program.

To be designated a Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite, Good Samaritan Hospital was required to create a written breastfeeding friendly policy, offer a private space other than a bathroom where a mother could pump milk and offer support and information to mothers who have chosen to continue to breastfeed when they returned back to work.

The hospital, which employs more than 1,400 female staff, offers a designated Employee Lactation Room complete with a breast pump that employees can use, breastfeeding-related education materials and breastfeeding-centered artwork to help a mother feel more comfortable and relaxed while using the room. Breastfeeding-friendly employers who proactively support employees who choose to breastfeed their infants when they return to work have seen many positive impacts to a business’s bottom line.

Employers that provide lactation support services report higher employee retention, lower absences, higher morale and greater overall productivity in their workforce.

“We want our employees who are new mothers to know that we support their decision to continue breastfeeding when they return to work,” says Maria Rea, RN, BSN, IBCLC, Lactation Consultant at Good Samaritan Hospital. “Breastfeeding is the foundation of good health and it is beneficial to provide breast milk exclusively for the first six months of an infant’s life.”

The benefits of breastfeeding are endless for both mother and child. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states that breastfeeding provides essential nutrients to an infant, helps protect against childhood illnesses and lowers the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Some benefits for the mother include: a decreased risk of postpartum depression, the production of naturally soothing hormones, such as oxytocin, which helps reduce stress and a lower risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.