Philips AVENT is proud to announce the launch of COMFORTABLE ANYWHERE: Breastfeeding at Work, an advocacy that encourages offices across the country to make it easier and more comfortable for moms to breastfeed in the workplace by setting up breastfeeding rooms. As part of its commitment to helping mothers breastfeed for longer, the activity coincides with World Breastfeeding Month in the Philippines.
"At Philips AVENT we’re committed to supporting parents and their babies, giving them the best start in life to set the stage for healthy futures. We know that most new moms want to breastfeed their baby because they believe it’s healthier for them," RJ Buenaventura, General Manager for Philips Consumer Lifestyle, shared.
It is recommended that a mother exclusively feeds her child on breast milk for the first six months. For the working mom, expressing milk at the work place is often difficult. First of all, time management upon returning to work is a challenge. This is made even more stressful when moms’ workplaces do not have good facilities where they could pump freely. These factors show that mothers are lacking support to balance their careers and breastfeeding.
By fostering work environments that make it possible to balance the demands of breastfeeding and work, mothers will be more productive and able to continue their career pursuits, and their children will benefit directly with improved health and well-being.
“We believe that breastfeeding moms should feel comfortable wherever they choose to breastfeed, whether at home or at work,” says Pia Umayam, Business Development Manager for Philips AVENT. “A breastfeeding room at the workplace should offer moms not only a hygienic, private and comfortable place to breastfeed but go the extra mile to make a real difference during a very precious time in their lives. Through this advocacy, we want to help corporate offices set up these breastfeeding rooms and support the breastfeeding moms in those workplaces.”
The COMFORTABLE ANYWHERE advocacy also supports a government directive (RA No. 10028) which mandates every health and non-health institutions to have a breastfeeding room or lactation station.
The advocacy was launched in a gathering of media, homemakers and potential corporate partners. During the event, Dr. Seizan Marie “Yogi” Reyes, a physician, mother of three and breastfeeding advocate, talked about the importance of breastfeeding at home and at work while Umayam presented the advocacy and showcased Philips’ own breastfeeding room in the office.
As part of the advocacy, Philips encourages corporate offices to sign up for the COMFORTABLE ANYWHERE program where Philips can help design ideal breastfeeding spaces and also give support to moms in that workplace through Philips AVENT breastfeeding packs.
To be part of the COMFORTBLE ANYWHERE advocacy, email Lester Hernandez at lester.hernandez@philips.com. For more information on Philips AVENT, log on to www.philips.com.ph or check the Philips AVENT Philippines facebook fan page.
