What are the policies around breastfeeding in ECE as a mother/staff member? Is there a national policy around breastfeeding? What are pedagogical implications on practice?

As I work with my child I have started to wonder what would have happened if I breastfeed while being in paid work. Would I be able to ‘breastfeed on demand’? Or would I have to wait until I had my breaks? Would I be asked to express? I however had stopped breastfeeding when my son was enrolled in care but this year a staff member had a baby and when returning to work would be breastfeeding while her child came to the centre. Because of this I started to think a lot deeper about her situation and I came up with the following questions:

·         Is there an ECE policy around breastfeeding in the early childhood centre I work in?

For both parents and staff members.

·         Is there a national policy about breastfeeding?

·         What would the pedagogical implications be for other staff members and the children?

I have discovered that there is a national breastfeeding policy about mothers who return to employment and this is stated in the Employment Relations Act (McKinlay, 2010). The act states that all employees must provide breastfeeding mothers with practicable and reasonable facilities and breaks to breastfeed their child or to express milk (McKinlay, 2010).

Beaumont (as cited in Hann, 2008) supports this act by saying "Breastfeeding mums need to feel confident that workplaces have policies in place and a culture that supports them and their babies in the workplace."

However Seaward (as cited in Hann, 2008) states that although the act is a positive for breastfeeding mothers they are still however “at the mercy of their employers a bit because they (the employer) can say it isn't practical.”

I approached my staffing team and asked whether we had a specific policy about breastfeeding for parents and staff members and found out that we don’t. However the head teacher stated that we have an open door policy towards breastfeeding mothers and support their feeding choice. She also stated that the centre follows the Employment Relations Act for staff members.

There are many pedagogical implications that breastfeeding can have on a teachers practice. One implication that could impact on a teachers ability to teach could be having to learn new strategies to settle a child whose mother comes into the centre every 3-4hours to breastfeed them. Teachers would also need to allow for flexibility with routines by having individualised feeding programmes that responds to each child as well as their parents’ wishes (Bartle & Duncan, 2010). Strong relationships with the parents are needed to be able to discuss the child’s routine and needs.

Bartle and Duncan (2010) state that having an open door policy towards all parents especially breastfeeding mothers is a great way to support mothers to feel comfortable to return to the centre throughout the day to breastfeed.

Another pedagogical implication would be the moral responsibility of the staff members to support breastfeeding by adjusting their practice and providing a visible presence of breastfeeding throughout the centre. Bartle and Duncan (2010) states that this can be done through the visibility of breastfeeding mothers/teachers and having images that support breastfeeding rather than bottle feeding.

Breastfeeding is very important for children and I hope you have gained a lot of knowledge from reading my blog!

Enjoy!

References

Bartle, C., & Duncan, J. (2010). Food for thought: Breastfeeding and early childhood education services. Early childhood folio, 14, (2), 31-36.

Hann, A. (2008 March 24). Law allows mothers to breastfeed at work: Employment relations Act. Independent Newspapers. Retrieved from Pro Quest Datatbase.            http://library.eit.ac.nz:2053/pqcentral/docview/314870744/abstract/12ECB5AD79D1119A3B5/10?accountid=39646

McKinlay, D. (2010 August 05). Breastfeeding in public a mothers right. Independent Newspapers. Retrieved from Pro Quest Database.            http://library.eit.ac.nz:2053/pqcentral/docview/741144692/12ECB5AD79D1119A3B5/12?accountid=39646

How do ECE centres support and promote breastfeeding? What are the management implications?

Since being a student teacher in the last two years only six infants have been breastfed and none of the mother’s breastfed their child within the centre environment. This made me wonder whether the parent was either shy, felt uncomfortable or we weren’t providing an environment that is breastfeeding ‘friendly’.

There are many reasons to why mothers discontinue breastfeeding their infant but the main reason is because the mother needs to return to paid employment and therefore the child is enrolled in child care (Manhire, Horrocks, Tangiora, n.d).  Galtry (2003, as cited in Rankin) also supports this being the main reason to children not being breastfed but has a particular concern for Maori and Pacific Island women. She has this concern as many Maori and Pacific mothers don’t qualify for paid parental leave therefore they have to return to work and may have jobs or early childhood centre’s that are not breastfeeding friendly.

Between the years of 2004-2008 there has been a 20% increased number of infants under the age of one attending childcare providers (Manhire, Horrocks and Tangiora, n.d). Since the number of infants in childcare is increasing I believe that early childhood centres need to encourage and support breastfeeding mothers. This may then develop an increase in the number of children that get breastfed from birth right through to 12 months plus.

Early childhood centres need to support breastfeeding by providing an appropriate/ supportive breastfeeding setting that has a comfortable dedicated area that a mother can use to breastfeed (Bartle & Duncan, 2010). The staff may also support mothers to breastfeed in the main room if they choose to. Staff should provide support and knowledge to parents if they ask, the centre could also have pamphlets and books that parents have access to.

 Dr. Sarah Farquhar (n.d, as cited in ECE express, 2010) also states that staff should ask parents when enrolling their child about their infants nutrition and whether they breastfeed and discuss what they can do to support the parent.

“Early childhood services have an educational, health and social responsibility to ensure effective support for mothers breastfeeding their babies at least up to age 12-months but preferably up to 24-months and beyond if mothers desire.”

 (Dr. Sarah Farquhar, n.d, as cited in ECE express, 2010)

Breastfeeding can affect many management/pedagogical implications in early childhood. One management implication may be that if the early childhood setting is a non breastfeeding friendly centre than the parents may not enrol their child into the centre. This is a management implication because then the enrolment numbers may drop and the centre may also get a ‘bad’ name for not supporting breastfeeding.

If a child is breastfed it can protect the child as well as the mother from infection, therefore the child and mother will have less sick days (Bartle & Duncan, 2010). If a child is constantly away from the centre because they are sick this can be a management implication because the attendance of children may drop.  If the mother that is breastfeeding is a staff member than this can benefit their attendance and therefore be a positive for management as they can then ‘count on’ that staff member to attend work.

My next blog will be about the pedagogical implications breastfeeding has on practice and I will also talk about policies behind breastfeeding. I

References

ECE express. (2010). ECE express. E tipu e rea. Growing our future. Retrieved April 16, 2011 from: http://www.ece-express.co.nz/ECEquestions.php

Manhire, K., Horrocks, G., & Tangiora, A. (n.d) Early childcare centre, support, knowledge,attitudes and beliefs about breastfeeding. Retrieved April 1, 2011 from: http://www.maorisids.org.nz/assets/files/pdf/Risk%20Factors/Early%20childcare%20centre%20support.pdf

Rankin, J. (2003,August 6). Work and breastfeeding good mix. Independent newspapers. Retrieved from Pro Quest database. http://library.eit.ac.nz:2053/pqcentral/docview/314255665/12EDADE6BC0A918DD8/1?accountid=39646

Bartle, C., & Duncan, J. (2010). Food for thought: Breastfeeding and early childhood education services. Early childhood folio, 14, (2), 31-36.