Returning to work after having a child is often described as a transition, but for many parents, it feels more like a recalibration. One of the most quietly significant adjustments is the decision to continue breastfeeding or expressing milk while re-entering the workplace as it’s one that can deeply influence a parent’s sense of belonging, depending on how their organisation responds.
When I returned to work after nine months of maternity leave, I chose to continue breastfeeding. Investing in a hands-free breast pump, whose rhythmic hum became a familiar part of my working day, saved me precious time and energy. I was fortunate to feel comfortable enough to pump at my desk, and I felt supported, not just by our Founder, Moira, but by my team and the wider business. At MBS, supporting parents in their return to work is a deeply embedded part of our culture so whatever choices we make, are done-so freely without stigma, consequences, or logistical barriers.
“More than 80% of breastfeeding parents would have continued for longer with stronger workplace support.”
As my breastfeeding journey came to a close, I found myself reflecting on the experience with my colleagues Hatty Cadman and Aelf Hewitson. They generously shared their own stories and encouraged me to write about mine. Together we have explored the meaningful steps businesses can take to support parents who choose to continue breastfeeding upon returning to work.
In the UK, 85% of parents begin breastfeeding after birth. By six weeks, only a third are still doing so and at six months, that number drops to just 1%. Some stop because it is the right decision for their families and themselves, but many stop earlier than planned because it becomes too challenging to continue at work. Research from the National Childbirth Trust and UNICEF UK suggests that more than 80% of breastfeeding parents would have continued for longer with stronger workplace support.
A survey by Working Families supports this, as it found that nearly 60% of employees in family-friendly workplaces report higher feelings of happiness and more than half are more likely to remain at the company. Far from being marginal benefits, these directly affect team culture, performance, and long-term continuity.
This was Director of Strategy and M&A at mydentist, Reena Virdee’s learning when she returned to work after giving birth far earlier than planned. She told us: “Navigating a wide role and a significant transaction while breastfeeding is really hard, but I felt such a desire to breastfeed my baby. It’s not something I can logically or rationally explain, I just know that I did.” Balancing the realities of new parenthood, whilst spending long days away from home was a challenge.
But when Reena called a female counterpart on the project about her wishes, she was met with nothing but support. “I was told: ‘Of course we’ll make this work’, and I suddenly went from anxiety to confidence,” Reena explains. They arranged somewhere for her to pump and reassured her that she would not be in a broom cupboard or a glass fronted office to ensure she felt fully comfortable without question.
“Navigating a wide role and a significant transaction while breastfeeding is really hard, but I felt such a desire to breastfeed my baby. It’s not something I can logically or rationally explain, I just know that I did.”
This experience is becoming more common as businesses are now putting policies to support breastfeeding in place. People Director at Oliver Bonas, Anna Parfitt told us conversations with people who are in a similar situation has proved beneficial, and meetings with the Parents and Carers Voices or the company’s in-house workshop, ‘Confident Comebacks’ offers an additional network. Anna said: “We do also have a breastfeeding policy which we published some time ago.
“The challenge we’ve had to navigate is finding that physical back-of-house space in-store, but to ensure our colleagues are getting the support they need, we encourage dialogue between team members and managers.”
That dialogue, she explained, often matters more than the policy itself as it enables practical solutions such as additional breaks, temporary adjustments, somewhere private to express, and somewhere safe to store milk.
“Alongside formal policies and workshops, informal networks are quietly shaping the return-to-work experience.”
Sarah Findlater, Chief People Officer at M&S, shared with us how significant these changes in the workplace are: “Fifteen years ago, I remember running to the toilet to express by hand when I could snatch some time and travelling home in huge pain. It was awful!”
Sarah explains that M&S has four pillars to accommodate return to work. These are flexible working, adjustments in work, career development and community support. She says: “We offer a number of flexible working options like job sharing and compressed hours, as well as adjustments including dedicated ‘quiet spaces’ for breastfeeding. We hold performance and career development check-ins to help keep careers on track and our colleagues have access to our internal Family & Carers Network which is available for them to connect, share experiences and offer support to one another.”
Alongside formal policies and workshops, informal networks are quietly shaping the return-to-work experience. A number of retailers we spoke to offer buddying systems, listening groups and peer-led communities which allow returning parents a space to connect, share and reflect. These conversations often surface the practical realities that policies miss like how to manage unpredictable feeding schedules, what equipment works best in different environments, or simply how to ask for what you need.
Aiding this is the improvement in tech. Laura McGrath, founder of Lola & Lykke told us: “Products used to be really frumpy and tired and lacking. Now they’re super functional and easy to use.” Devices like wearable pumps, are made by brands such as Elvie, Lola & Lykke and Medela, and they are changing the way parents manage feeding at work. The global wearable breast pump market, currently worth more than £596 million, is expected to grow by nearly 9% a year through 2030. The appeal is straightforward; silent, hands-free pumps allow feeding parents to express milk while in meetings, on calls or commuting. They reduce reliance on private spaces and remove the need for lengthy breaks, which, in turn, creates a more seamless integration into their working lives.
“Now, there is no ‘home persona’ and ‘work persona’, and this encourages progress.”
Even if the infrastructure and tech is there, the tone of leadership is central when ensuring a safe and supportive working environment. “The subtle behaviours that leadership demonstrate can mean parents either feel comfortable or don’t feel comfortable,” Reena explains. Kim Pritchard, Head of Coaching and Diversity and Inclusion at The Very Group, agrees that building this culture from the top is crucial, sharing that since her own return to work as a new parent, she feels that significant progress in breaking down stigmas has been made thanks to improvements in general policy and more inclusivity. She says: “People are much more likely to bring their full selves to work now than they once were.
“Now, there is no ‘home persona’ and ‘work persona’, and this encourages progress.”
The most effective employers are not simply responding to parental needs, they are designing systems that expect them. That includes embedding lactation support into re-onboarding, training managers to handle conversations with ease, and making feeding a visible, normal part of how work works.
The most enduring impact will come not from social posts or statements of intent, but from the everyday decisions that tell parents they belong. When those decisions are made with care and foresight, the difference is felt not just by the individual, but across the organisation as a whole.
Breastfeeding Awareness Week runs annually in the UK from 1st-7th August.
[email protected] | The MBS Group
