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Williston State College Designated as “Infant Friendly”
Posted: Sep 07 2023
WILLISTON, ND –Williston State College was recently recognized as, “Infant Friendly,” by the North Dakota Health and Human Services Department.
Employers can apply for this designation if they adopt a workplace breastfeeding policy including:
- Flexible work scheduling, including scheduling breaks and permitting work patterns that provide time for expression of breast milk.
- A convenient, sanitary, safe, and private location (other than a restroom), allowing privacy for breastfeeding or expressing breast milk.
- A convenient, clean, and safe water source with facilities for washing hands and rinsing breast-pumping equipment located near the private location.
- A convenient place for temporarily storing breast milk, such as a refrigerator or cooler.
According to research, breastfeeding also benefits the employer. Such benefits include lower health-care costs because breastfed babies are healthier, lower absenteeism, and lower turnover rates since women are more likely to return to their previous jobs if the company provides support for breastfeeding mothers. These benefits can provide considerable cost savings to employers.
“A special Thank you to our Grant Writer, Mr. Cade Coles. Mr. Coles single-handedly pursued the grant, was awarded the money for the initiative, and did the setup of the room. The space is comfortable and inviting to mothers using this space. We are pleased for WSC to now be considered an Infant Friendly Workplace,” stated WSC President Dr. Bernell Hirning.
Workplaces interested in joining the list of recognized organizations can find resources for supporting their employees and the simple application at https://www.health.nd.gov/breastfeeding.
For more information about the Infant Friendly Workplace designation, contact Mikaela Schlosser, North Dakota Health and Human Services Department at 701.328.4529.
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