Riverview Medical Center Recognized for Supporting Breastfeeding Mothers at Work

Red Bank, NJ - In an effort to commend, celebrate and increase the number of New Jersey worksites that support breastfeeding employees, the New Jersey Breastfeeding Coalition (NJBC) has selected Hackensack Meridian Health Riverview Medical Center located in Red Bank, as a “NJ Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite.”

Riverview Medical Center was recognized for important breastfeeding supportive practices, including providing the availability of reasonable breaks and private space to express milk or to nurse their child.

“Studies show that simple worksite support practices increase the duration of breastfeeding among employed mothers,” says Kay O’Keefe, an NJBC trustee. “Research also shows that breastfed babies have fewer illnesses contributing to less employee absenteeism.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding, as research has revealed short-term and lifelong health benefits for mother and child. However, many mothers cite return to work as a reason for early discontinuation of breastfeeding.

“Returning to work after the birth of a baby can be a difficult transition for any mom, but for breastfeeding mothers, this transition often comes with its own set of challenges,” says Mara Warehime, a registered nurse at Riverview Medical Center. “The lactation room at Riverview Medical Center is private, clean and comfortable and also has a refrigerator for storing breast milk. Having the lactation room just down the hall from my unit made my return to work much more seamless and I not only felt supported but extremely grateful!”

The breastfeeding room at Riverview Medical Center was established in 2017 and contains a comfortable chair, refrigerator for milk storage, hand sanitizer, bathroom access and contact information for lactation support. The room is private and available only to team members.

“It’s important for new mothers to feel supported when they return to work,” says Cassandra Leahy, MSN, BA, RN, IBCLC, LCCE, a board certified lactation consultant within the Riverview Medical Center Lactation Department. “Providing a supportive environment to encourage our mothers to combine breastfeeding and employment is one easy way to help make the transition back to work a little easier.”

The NJBC encourages all employers to learn about and become a breastfeeding-friendly worksite and then to complete the simple self-assessment at http://breastfeedingnj.org/breastfeeding-friendly-worksite-recognition-program/. Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center and Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center have also been recognized for their support of breastfeeding mothers at work by the NJBC.