Anmum Lacta’s nationwide MummyTime campaign aims to support the setting up of lactation rooms at the workplace, writes Shuhada Elis
AS maternity leave comes to an end, most nursing mothers share similar concerns when they return to work — pumping and storing breast milk.
It will not be easy for some. The only choice these mothers have is to make several trips to the prayer room or the toilet for privacy.
But with an initiative by Anmum Lacta, nursing mothers from six companies will soon enjoy pumping their breast milk at ease.
Anmum Lacta recently unveiled its first fully-equipped lactation room at Talent Corporation Malaysiaas part of a nationwide MummyTime campaign, aimed at easing the transition for mothers returning to work after childbirth.
The campaign highlights the necessity of providing the support every lactating mum needs — a lactation room at the workplace.
TalentCorp is the first company in the Klang Valley under the campaign, while another five companies will follow suit this year. The initiative was born out of a survey conducted by Anmum on 360 women, which found only one in four mothers have access to a lactation room at their workplace.
Fonterra Brands Malaysia marketing manager Irene Cheah says: “As a working mum myself, it was not easy for me to return to work after maternity leave. I was lucky to have access to facilities and support.”
PIONEERING EFFORT
Cheah says through this pioneering effort, the firm hopes to encourage more companies here to extend the same benefit to their female employees in an effort to retain them in the workforce.
“Thanks to TalentCorp, we were able to identify five companies in different industries where retention and increment of female labour participation are most crucial.
“We will support these companies
to build fully-equipped lactation rooms inthe next phase of our campaign,” she adds.
The lactation rooms are carefully designed to provide a safe, private and relaxing environment conducive to optimal breast milk production.
Each facility is equipped with a nutrition guide and reading materials to support mothers through the many challenges of motherhood. And because nursing mothers require more energy and nutrients, each mother in the five companies will receive a Welcome Back tool kit, which includes a pack of Anmum Lacta.
TalentCorp chief executive officer Shareen Shariza Abdul Ghani says the effort to help mothers transition back to the workplace after childbirth is aligned with its job to attract and retain women in the workforce.
Anmum Lacta invites companies and working mothers to join forces to set up similar facilities in their offices.
In the next phase of the campaign, Anmum Lacta will provide 12 months’ supply of milk to the first 50 companies which meet the set criteria. They can email consumerservice@fonterra.com or call 1800-88-3122 with their requests.