Using citizen science to engage the public in monitoring workplace breastfeeding support in Australia

Abstract

Issue addressed: Returning to work is a major barrier to continued breastfeeding. While many large organisations in Australia have policies to support breastfeeding and expressing at work, it is not known how these are implemented in practice, what support is available in smaller workplaces or to what extent workplace support meets the needs of breastfeeding mothers.Methods: This pilot study trialled a citizen science approach where members of the public provided photographs and descriptions of breastfeeding facilities and support within their workplaces. The study was promoted through community networks and social media, and data were submitted via an online survey. Data were analysed inductively to identify key themes.Results: Thirty-seven participants provided data on breastfeeding support in their workplace. Three key themes were identified: physical features and facilities; workplace culture; and organisational and occupational characteristics. There was considerable variation in workplace support and around half of the participants indicated that they had to use communal, poorly equipped and/or unhygienic spaces to breastfeed or express at work. Conclusion:While some employers have taken important steps towards supporting mothers to combine breastfeeding and work, there is room for improvement.Through this pilot study, we have demonstrated the feasibility and value of using a citizen science approach to obtain data from a range of workplaces along with perceptions of workplace characteristics that support or hinder breastfeeding and expressing at work. So what?:Citizen science is a useful approach to capturing data on workplace support for breastfeeding and could be scaled up to enable ongoing monitoring. The findings raise important issues around the interpretation and implementation of current legislation to support mothers in the workplace.

Promotion, protection, and support of breastfeeding at work, and achieving sustainable development: a scoping review

“…The study designs were mainly observational and analytical (n=16; 47.5%) 15,18,[20][21][22][23]25,28,29,35 , followed by qualitative approaches (n = 6; 18.2%) 17,34,36,[43][44][45] . Other types of designs included reviews (n = 9; 27.3%) 2,16,19,24,26,27,[29][30][31] , technical notes (n = 1; 3.7%) 33 , and other analytical methods (n = 1; 3.7%) 46 .…”

“…The promotion strategies for breastfeeding in the work context have been described in only a few reports (n = 2; 6.1%) 16,33 , while most reports described protection strategies (n = 27; 81.8%) 2,15,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33]37,[39][40][41][44][45][46] , followed by support strategies (n = 18; 54.5%) 2,[19][20][21][22]27,32,34,[36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45] . Some studies treated more than one type of strategy, for example, protection and support.…”

“…The most frequent protection strategy for breastfeeding in the work context (n = 16; 59.5%) was the right to breaks during working hours to express breastmilk or to breastfeed 2,15,[18][19][20]22,24,26,[28][29][30]32,37,40,41,45 . Some studies described the right to adjust work duties, flexible working hours at home or at work, or the reduction in the workload of the job as ways to pro- tect the mother's right to breastfeed 20,21,37,44 . The execution of the right to maternity leave was also a common strategy among the studies (n = 11; 33.3%) 2,23,25,26,[29][30][31]35,37,39,45 , considering that two of these cited parental leave as a strategy 32,35 .…”

“…Among the 18 reports that cited support strategies, 16 mentioned the availability of a room in the workplace for the mothers to breastfeed and/or express breastmilk and store it in a secure manner (described in this study as support rooms for breastfeeding) 2,19,20,22,27,32,[36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45] . Our study also considered as support strategies the existence of companies' internal policies, which mainly encouraged the installation of support rooms for breastfeeding, breaks to express breastmilk 38,42,45 , daycare center subsidies for the workers' children 43 , or the availability of daycare centers in workplace 42 .…”

“…Availability of a room for breastfeeding in the workplace. Rollins et al, 2016 2 Availability of a room for breastfeeding Rowbotham et al, 2021 44 Availability of a location to express milk and store it. Support from the supervisor and workmates.…”