Redefining Lactation as a Workplace Right – Not a Privilege
- Brainz Magazine
- Nov 11
- 7 min read
Constanza is a psychologist specializing in reproductive health and fertility and the founder of Rudaviva. She is passionate about supporting women in connecting with their bodies and cycles, empowering them to cultivate holistic well-being through education and practical tools.
Breastfeeding is often celebrated as a personal choice, a maternal instinct, or an act of love, and while all of that is true, it’s also an issue of public health, gender equity, and economic justice. In Mexico and across Latin America, countless women return to work without the structural support to continue breastfeeding, even when it's their legal right. The result? They are forced to choose between their income and their baby’s well-being.
This isn’t just a personal loss, it’s a systemic failure. Lactation support should not be a luxury afforded only to those in privileged corporate positions with access to wellness rooms and flexible policies. It must become a universal standard, especially for women in operations, manufacturing, healthcare, education, and the informal economy, who form the backbone of our societies.
This article invites us to rethink lactation not as an “extra benefit” but as a basic workplace right, one that has the power to transform the lives of women, babies, companies, and entire countries.
The state of lactation in Latin America: A silent crisis
While global health organizations emphasize the importance of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life, the reality in Latin America reveals a sobering gap between recommendation and execution. According to UNICEF, only 43% of infants in Latin America and the Caribbean are exclusively breastfed during this critical period, well below the World Health Organization’s 70% target.
In Mexico, the numbers are equally concerning. Although federal labor laws technically protect the right to breastfeed at work, granting two 30-minute breaks per day and mandating lactation rooms in companies with more than 50 female employees, implementation remains fragmented and inconsistent. For many women, especially those working in operational roles, factories, fieldwork, or informal sectors, these rights exist only on paper.
In these environments, breastfeeding often becomes an impossible choice. There are no private or hygienic spaces, no refrigeration, and no real flexibility in their work schedules. The result? Many women are forced to abandon breastfeeding earlier than they wish, not because they lack commitment, but because the system fails to support them.
This is not just a woman’s issue. It’s a structural one. And the consequences ripple far beyond the individual, impacting infant health, maternal mental well-being, workplace retention, and even national development outcomes.
What happens in the real world: Stories behind the data
On paper, many companies boast about being “family-friendly.” But the lived experiences of working mothers in Latin America often tell a different story, one where systemic gaps, logistical barriers, and cultural taboos quietly undermine their rights.
In manufacturing plants across central Mexico, for example, several women report being told to express milk in restrooms or supply closet spaces, neither sanitary nor dignified. Others face supervisors who discourage taking lactation breaks altogether, suggesting that “there’s no time for that here.” These are not isolated incidents. They reflect a widespread disconnect between policy and practice, especially in sectors dominated by hourly labor, tight production quotas, and high turnover rates. Still, there are growing examples of what’s possible when organizations choose to act with intention.
Some companies are beginning to implement more integrative approaches to lactation support, going beyond the basic requirement of physical lactation rooms to include emotional education, schedule flexibility, and a cultural shift that frames breastfeeding as a biological need, not a productivity obstacle. In these environments, women return from maternity leave with greater confidence, lower burnout rates, and a sense that their well-being matters not just as mothers, but as professionals.
These changes don’t happen by chance. They require leadership that sees reproductive health as part of a company’s sustainability strategy, not just a line in the HR handbook.
What can be done: Concrete actions for companies and policymakers
When companies and governments invest in real, dignified solutions for lactating women, they’re not just “doing the right thing.” They’re fostering healthier families, more resilient teams, and long-term economic growth. What follows is a series of concrete actions that can move the needle from policy to practice, from empathy to equity.
1. Designate dignified lactation spaces
Go beyond legal compliance. Ensure lactation rooms are private, hygienic, comfortable, and accessible, available not only at headquarters but across all operational sites.
Related article: Should Mothers Be Paid for Caregiving?
2. Implement flexible scheduling for pumping
Offer structured flexibility so women can express milk without fear of retaliation or falling behind on their tasks. Clear guidelines empower both employees and managers to support this right with confidence.
3. Normalize breastfeeding through leadership and culture
Create internal campaigns, training, and messaging that reframe breastfeeding as a shared responsibility, not a personal problem. Normalize conversations around lactation, fertility, and postpartum care across all levels of the organization.
4. Include lactation rights in onboarding and policy handbooks
Many women don’t even know they are entitled to lactation breaks or private spaces. Integrate this information visibly into employee manuals, induction processes, and HR communications.
5. Track data and measure outcomes
Monitor usage of lactation rooms, return-to-work satisfaction, absenteeism, and retention among new mothers. Use this data to improve practices and demonstrate impact.
6. Expand legal protections and enforcement
Public policy should extend beyond maternity leave. Governments can play a role by enforcing existing lactation laws, incentivizing compliance, and promoting models that integrate workplace health and family well-being.
7. Invest in reproductive health education across teams
Offer training not only for women, but for all employees, including male managers and HR staff. Understanding the biological, emotional, and social dimensions of breastfeeding fosters empathy and better team cohesion.
Related article: Unlocking the Power of Your Menstrual Cycle
8. Start small pilot programs before scaling
Instead of trying to implement the “perfect” lactation policy from day one, start with a pilot. Choose one site, one region, or one business unit. Involve lactating employees in the design, observe what works, and adjust what doesn’t. Pilots allow companies to test solutions in context, gather data, and build trust. They turn policy from a top-down mandate into a living, responsive process, one that grows with the needs of the people it serves.
9. Put breastfeeding women at the center, design with them, not for them
Too often, policies are written in boardrooms without ever listening to the women they claim to support. The most effective lactation programs start with one simple shift: asking. What do you need? What’s not working? What would help you stay, grow, and thrive here? When companies truly center the voices of lactating employees, especially those in operational or field roles, they move from assumptions to actual impact. Co-designing these policies is not just respectful, it’s smart, efficient, and deeply human.
Supporting lactation is supporting national development
To invest in lactation support is to invest in the present and future of our society. Breastfeeding has a proven impact on reducing infant morbidity, improving maternal health, and strengthening the emotional bond between mother and child, all of which shape the emotional, cognitive, and physical development of future generations. This isn’t just a personal or family matter, it’s a national public health and economic issue.
Every day that a woman is supported in her lactation journey is a day that contributes to stronger immunity in infants, less pressure on public health systems, and fewer work absences related to childhood illness. Studies by organizations like UNICEF and the World Bank have long confirmed that breastfeeding-friendly policies can result in a healthier, more productive population in the long term.
But there’s also a business case. Companies that actively support breastfeeding employees see higher retention rates after maternity leave, improved employee satisfaction, reduced absenteeism, and enhanced brand reputation. Lactation policies are not a “nice-to-have,” they are a strategic lever for talent development and well-being.
By creating environments where lactation is respected, resourced, and normalized, we’re not only protecting a biological function, but we’re shaping the quality of life of entire communities. Because when we care for lactating women, we care for the children they nourish. And when we care for children, we care for the future of a nation.
A perspective from the field: What I’ve witnessed, and what we must transform
Over the past years, I’ve worked both in corporate well-being programs and in direct support of women navigating the realities of their reproductive health. I’ve seen what happens when policies exist only on paper and when lactating mothers are expected to pump in storage rooms, staff bathrooms, or cars during lunch breaks. I’ve seen the guilt, the exhaustion, and the unspoken pressure to choose between feeding their babies and “being professional enough.”
And I’ve also seen the shift that happens when a woman is genuinely supported: when she has time, space, and respect. She returns with more confidence. Her loyalty grows. Her emotional bandwidth increases. And so does her sense of belonging. It’s not magic, it’s simply giving women what they need to thrive.
We cannot allow this to be a benefit reserved for the few working in high-rise offices. It must reach the factory floor, the delivery truck, the classroom, the supermarket, the field. Supporting lactation should not depend on a woman’s job title.
If you are a decision-maker, a team leader, or someone with influence in your workplace, this is your invitation. Start the conversation. Run a pilot. Listen to the women in your team. You don’t need to have all the answers, just the willingness to build something better.
If you've made it this far, it’s likely because you care about people, about health, about change. Let’s keep the conversation going.
You can find me on Instagram or send me a message. I'd love to hear your thoughts, your questions, or your story. Because the more we talk about this, the more we normalize it. And the more we normalize it, the closer we get to transforming it.
Read more from Constanza Araujo Nagore
Constanza Araujo Nagore, Specialist in Psychology and Reproductive Health
Constanza is a psychologist specializing in reproductive health and fertility awareness methods and the founder of Rudaviva. She enjoys helping women connect with their cycles and bodies through education, fostering holistic well-being and self-awareness. Her mission is to empower women to embrace their natural rhythms and cultivate meaningful relationships with themselves and their health. Constanza inspires transformative journeys toward physical and emotional balance through workshops, personalized guidance, and innovative resources.
