“Breastfeeding cop forced to take unpaid leave”
A breastfeeding DC police officer has been forced to take leave without pay after the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) refused to allow her to work at a desk job. The department’s chief of police, a woman and mother, upheld MPD’s new policy to deny reasonable options for breastfeeding moms.
The Draconian decision by MPD is mind-boggling. There is no sound justification for rejecting the mother’s right to express her milk for nurturing her baby. MPD’s own physician backed the officer’s request. After all, going back on the street would require the mom to wear a bullet-proof vest. The heavy protective gear would cause major discomfort and potentially compromise the mother’s lactation.
For MPD’s information, breastfeeding is proven to be beneficial to babies, moms and employers. The Le Leche League, which promotes a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother, lists the following benefits:
Benefits for Baby
· Antibodies in breast milk protect the baby from illness.
· Breastfeeding promotes appropriate jaw, teeth and speech development as well as overall facial development.
Benefits for Mother
· Breastfeeding is linked to reduced rates of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
· A breastfeeding mother can feed her baby even during stressful times such as when normal supplies of food and water are not available.
· Breastfeeding saves time for mothers.
Benefits for Employers
· Breastfed babies are healthier babies; thus, mothers who are employed outside the home are likely to miss fewer days of work.
What do you think about breastfeeding on the job? Send us your comments.
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