Every mother is a working mother: breastfeeding and women's work

Working and breastfeeding can be very complicated because of the kinds of work women are doing; the settings in which they are working; recent changes which have made breastfeeding and work less compatible; trade-offs that working mothers must make; the importance of breastfeeding for the working woman; and the range of feeding options for working mothers. To adequately address these and other issues, several initiatives are needed: (1) additional research on breast pumping and breastmilk storage, and the social and emotional benefits of breastfeeding for working mothers and their infants; (2) protective legislation and strategies for its implementation and monitoring; (3) information and support for breastfeeding mothers and families, policy markers, and the general public; and (4) an alliance between breastfeeding advocates and feminists to promote this intrinsically female issue.