The Challenges of Taking Breastfeeding Infants to Academic Nursing Conferences

Abstract

Nursing faculty are predominantly women, and many are of childbearing age. Academic responsibilities for nursing faculty include attendance at scientific meetings and conferences. When nursing faculty members are breastfeeding, situations arise that may require them to make difficult decisions to meet both demands as mothers and academics. The purpose of this article is to describe the experiences of three nursing faculty members who brought their breastfed infants to professional nursing conferences, as well as identify major barriers to an inclusive working environment that cultivates “work–life balance” and propose workable solutions for breastfeeding mothers in academe.

Implementation of a Family Support Grant to Subsidize Caregiving Needs and Support Attendance at American Society for Nutrition’s Annual Professional Scientific Conference

“…Additionally, more than one-third of applicants reported currently breastfeeding or lactating, or pumping/expressing milk, which is common among individuals who identify as women of childbearing age, and often aligns with earlier career stages. Lactation, or expressing breast milk, has been cited as a significant barrier to academic success and attending professional society meetings ( 35 , 36 ), thus suggesting that lactation resources should be considered when developing policies for creating more family-friendly conference environments. However, early-career women were not the only people applying for family support grants; individuals who identified as men or transgender, were 65+ y, or at the associate professor or full professor level also applied, albeit in much smaller numbers.…”

Empowering Students Who Are Breastfeeding a Child While Enrolled in Pharmacy School

“…While the challenges faced by breastfeeding mothers returning to work are better understood, less is known of the issues faced by breastfeeding students entering or returning to higher education programs, including Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs. [2][3][4][5] Not unlike faculty, students must overcome numerous obstacles to successfully maintain breastfeeding relationships. These include difficulty scheduling time to express milk ("pump") around classes, exams, and other assessments; a lack of appropriate lactation spaces; and insufficient support from peers, faculty, and administration.…”