Erie Co. Names Trocaire ‘Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite’

Trocaire has officially been designated a “Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite” by the Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH).

The college was recently recognized along with the 17 other designees, all leading Erie County employers, at a Healthy Baby Festival at Delaware Park, which provided resources and educational information to Western New York families.

To achieve this designation, each organization shared their policies and procedures for review, a site visit was made to inspect physical locations and setup of lactation rooms and additional technical assistance was made available.

“’A Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite’ not only benefits the mother and the baby but benefits employers as well,” the ECDOH said in a release. “Studies have shown breastfeeding can result in lower absenteeism, higher morale and productivity, reduced employee turnover and lower healthcare costs.”

In the release, Erie County Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein said that breastfeeding reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and provides infants a protective effect against “illnesses, ear infections, gastrointestinal diseases, and allergies including asthma, eczema and atopic dermatitis.”

However, nursing women returning to the workforce can encounter numerous barriers to breastfeeding, such as a lack of flexibility in their schedule, lack of appropriate accommodations to pump or store breast milk and concerns about support and understanding from employer and colleagues.

Trocaire’s Mother’s Room is located in Room 336 at the main Choate campus. It is equipped with a refrigerator and sink, comfortable seating, and privacy via a locking door and a “room in use” door hanger. The college’s additional locations on Transit Road (Room 102) and Seneca Street (Room 108) are equipped with similar rooms.

“We’re thrilled to be honored by Erie County for our efforts in such a crucial area: support for working moms,” said Marge Andrzejewski, supervisor of Auxiliary Services. “We wanted our nursing mothers—be they faculty, staff, students or visitors—to have a comfortable, secure location at their disposal, and that’s exactly what we’ve tried to create with our Mother’s Room.”

Breastfeeding Resources:

Breastfeeding Friendly Worksite Information

American Academy of Pediatrics

Office of Women’s Health