In a Post-COVID World, New Study Reveals Mothers are More Committed to Breastfeeding

MCHENRY, Ill., June 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In light of ongoing health concerns about COVID-19, a recent survey found that 90 percent of moms who are currently feeding their babies breast milk plan to continue doing so when they return to work outside their homes. However, almost half of moms are concerned about the cleanliness and sanitation of the pumping space in their workplaces when they do return. The study, conducted in May and June 2020 by Medela and Mamava – the partners behind New Moms' Healthy Returns – surveyed nearly 1,400 moms for their thoughts and concerns about breast milk feeding and returning to work in a post-COVID world.

"Returning to work after baby has always been a critical transition, and it will certainly look different when factoring in post-COVID health precautions for breastfeeding mothers. Now, perhaps more than ever, employers need to understand the nuanced concerns of new moms and establish procedures that will make her comfortable in the workplace," said Melissa Gonzales, executive vice president of the Americas, Medela LLC. "Feedback from our survey included ideas for concrete steps that employers can take in order to put moms at ease for pumping at work, and we're excited to help employers implement these solutions."

From the survey, one in three moms plan to talk to their employer about pumping accommodations in the workplace upon their return. The top three improvements moms said they want for their workplace lactation spaces are:

1. Sanitation supplies available inside and outside the lactation space
2. A clearly published and adhered to cleaning and sanitization process
3. A dedicated space where pumping is the only allowed activity

The survey also found that more than 40 percent of moms are more committed to breast milk feeding their babies because of COVID-19, and one in five moms said they expect to breastfeed or pump longer than they initially planned due to the virus. "Breast milk is associated with broad health benefits for babies and moms, including being an important factor in seeding healthy bacteria that shape and bolster the immune system," says Sascha Mayer, CEO and co-founder of Mamava. "So it's not surprising that our survey found that many moms are even more committed to feeding their babies breast milk during this time of COVID."

New Moms' Healthy Returns was established to help both moms and employers with the transition back to work after having a baby. Medela and Mamava have published white papers on how lactation accommodation policies can help foster an inclusive workplace culture for mothers, particularly in a post-COVID environment, as well as the impact that supporting breastfeeding women in the workplace has on a company's bottom line. The white papers can be downloaded for free at:

Lactation Accommodations in the Post-COVID Workplace

Why Supporting Working Moms is Key to Your Bottom Line

For more information, visit newmomshealthyreturns.com/surveyfindings to view the data infographic highlighting key survey findings.

About Medela LLC

Medela's US-based manufacturing and development facility is headquartered in McHenry, Illinois. Every year, millions of mothers in the U.S. rely on Medela's technology. As the #1 breast pump brand*, Medela provides the best in research-based breast milk feeding products and clinical education to support moms' breast milk feeding journey. The company is fully dedicated to supporting mothers so that they can provide breast milk to their baby for as long as they choose. For more information, visit www.medela.us/breastfeeding. 

*IQVIA, using ProVoice Survey; September 2019-August 2019.

About Mamava

Mamava is the expert in lactation space design, thoughtfully designing solutions for breastfeeding moms on-the-go. With both analog and digital products, Mamava celebrates and supports the 21^st century breastfeeding mama. Mamava is women-owned, made in America, and a proud member of the B Corp community. The Mamava app, free for iOS and Android, helps moms find pumping and breastfeeding friendly locations (never a bathroom!), unlocks Mamava pods through a proprietary smart technology system, and delivers useful breastfeeding content. To learn more visit mamava.com.

Medela wordmark and logo are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. New Moms' Healthy Returns is a trademark of Medela.

SOURCE Medela LLC