Feeding and Expressing at Work
Supporting you to feed at work - whether you are breastfeeding, chestfeeding, or expressing milk.
Workplace regulations require employers to provide suitable facilities where breastfeeding and chestfeeding parents can rest. It is also good practice for employers to provide a private, healthy and safe environment for expressing and storing milk.
Notifying your employer before you return:
What you need to do - and why
As advised by the Health and Safety Executive, you should provide written notification that you are breastfeeding or chestfeeding - or intend to do so - before returning to work, and before any Keep in Touch (KIT) or Shared Parental Leave in Touch (SPLIT) days.
This notification allows your employer to carry out an updated maternity risk assessment. It is important that this is treated as a fresh assessment- not simply a review of any earlier one - so that the specific considerations of feeding at work are properly accounted for and appropriate adjustments can be put in place. Carrying out this assessment is a legal requirement for all employers.
Ideally, notify your line manager. If you do not feel comfortable doing so, you can instead contact:
- Your HR Partner
- The Diversity & Inclusion lead for your school or function
- The Health & Safety adviser for your school or function
- The PACT network: PACT@reading.ac.uk
More information on the HSE's guidance for employees breastfeeding at work can be found here: Health and Safety Executive — New and Expectant Mothers at Work
Breastfeeding / Chestfeeding / Expressing Rooms on Campus:
The University hosts four dedicated rooms across its campuses, providing a private, comfortable space to feed and/or express milk during the working day. The rooms are also suitable for use as rest facilities by pregnant colleagues.
- Whiteknights: G25, Library foyer
This room also contains a sink. Two guest access cards are kept at the Library Reception desk - simply ask to borrow a card. No prior arrangement, appointment, or ID is needed. Return the card to reception when you are done. This room is accessible to all: staff, students and visitors.
- London Road: L22, first floor CD201 - this is a multi-purpose space and is also used as a quiet/prayer room. Access to this room does not need to be arranged in advance.
- Earley Gate: 1U02, Meteorology Building - access to this room does not need to be arranged in advance.
- Earley Gate:GU32, Agriculture Building - access to this room does not need to be arranged in advance.
Colleagues are asked to leave any feeding or expressing space clean and tidy for the next person. Colleagues are also responsible for maintaining their own pump equipment and for the storage and transportation of their expressed milk. If using a communal fridge, please label your milk or store it in a cool bag.
Please contact PACT@reading.ac.uk if you have any questions or feedback about these rooms.
The creation of these rooms was made possible by funding provided through the Staff Forum.
Locally bookable rooms and fridges
In addition, there are a number of rooms in other buildings which can be used on an ad hoc basis to feed or express milk. There are also a number of fridges which can be used to store expressed milk if colleagues are not otherwise able to access a fridge.
More information on locations and arranging access can be found on the Locally bookable rooms list.
Questions or Feedback?
Contact the Parents and Carers Together team at PACT@reading.ac.uk.
Useful External Links
- NHS – Breastfeeding and going back to work[SJ1]
- Maternity Action – Continuing to breastfeed when you return to work
- La Leche League – Working and breastfeeding
- NCT – Breastfeeding and returning to work
- Working Families – Breastfeeding: your rights at work
University of Reading researchers have developed a set of guides to support the transition back to work for breastfeeding mothers. This guide was developed from and draws on evidence from the Maternal Wellbeing, infant feeding and return to paid work study the authors conducted funded by the Nuffield Foundation. Drawing on the varied experiences of mothers from the study, this guide suggests how mothers might balance breastfeeding with paid work. It provides information on employee rights, the practicalities and how to communicate with their employer.