A baby’s birth is just the beginning. What’s next? Breastfeeding.
Working parents across the country count on parental leave as they prepare to welcome a newborn. But what happens in those crucial first weeks once babies arrive home?
Babies must eat. And no matter how parents choose to feed them, comprehensive employer-sponsored breastfeeding benefits are a crucial component to the overall wellbeing of babies and parents.
The U.S. has no national paid parental leave or breastfeeding policy.
Our country’s lack of guaranteed paid leave confuses many parents about how to approach feeding while juggling a 9-to-5. Lactation consultants help guide families through that return-to-work transition.
“International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) have unique expertise that can help prepare and guide parents through this stage of their feeding journey,” says Chrisie Rosenthal, IBCLC.
Parents don’t intend to have difficulty feeding their children.
But over 70% of parents believe we should be talking more about how challenging breastfeeding is. New parents often encounter unforeseen obstacles like painful mastitis or postpartum depression or anxiety.
Employer support matters deeply to working families.
Over 83% of breastfeeding parents say insurance-covered lactation consultations are important in deciding whether to remain at their current company.
When employees suffer without the support they need, it costs their workplaces dearly.
The average cost of losing a new parent as an employee is at least 50% of their annual salary, and that doesn’t include the lost institutional knowledge.
When working parents get quality benefits, everyone thrives.
Only 59% of parents return to work after maternity leave, but 95% of patients at The Lactation Network do. But while we know that lactation care is a legal right through the Affordable Care Act, many insurance companies have not established comprehensive networks of lactation providers.
This means that employees are often left with limited care options: Some travel long distances to see a lactation consultant, and some have no in-network providers at all. An ACA-compliant lactation benefit program supports employees before, during, and after parental leave.
The advantage of maternal health home care
IBCLCs offer breastfeeding support in the comfort of parents’ homes at a critical time for their families. When these benefits are offered by workplace-sponsored lactation programs, they bolster employee well-being and reduce costs by mitigating health risks.
We offer the compassionate, clinical support families need.
Put simply, comprehensive, accessible lactation benefits are vital, and not just for the parents who use them. Supported employees support their teams, perform better, and stay at organizations for longer — and at The Lactation Network, we connect families with the expert, accessible lactation care they deserve while handling administrative billing and insurance details so companies don’t have to.
GIVE THE care THEY DESERVE
To learn more about TLN’s benefit program for employers, fill out our contact form and a TLN representative will reach out to you.
Have a question about something else? Contact us.