Nursing Mothers’ Perceptions of Supportive and Hurtful Messages in the Workplace

• In Event: Communicating Social Support Online and Offline

Abstract

One of the important components of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is to support nursing mothers in their decisions to breastfeed once returning to work, and to ensure that employers are not obstructing their ability to express milk. However, lack of formal or informal support in the workplace could undermine the positive impact of the ACA. For example, supportive or harmful messages sent by supervisors or coworkers may impact nursing mothers in positive or negative ways, respectively. This manuscript presents data collected from women who recently or currently pumped breast milk at work. Responses to an open-ended survey question about messages nursing mothers received in the workplace were coded using social support and hurtful message frameworks. Results are discussed within the context of implications for communication that facilitates support for pumping breast milk in the workplace.

Authors

• Sunyoung Park, Michigan State U - Department of Communication

• Jalyn Ingalls, Michigan State U

• Kami J. Silk, Michigan State U

• Brandon Walling, Michigan State U

• Brandon DH Thomas, Michigan State U - Department of Communication