Augusta, GA -- Lakesha Johnson is a working, nursing mom to a five-month-old, but she says, this time around, she's happier because her employer, T-Mobile makes it easy to do what's best for her baby.
Lakesha Johnson, mother: "We actually have a mother's relaxation room, so, on my break and lunch, I can go in private, pump my milk and store it because there is a refrigerator. There are lounge chairs where I'm comfortable enough to be able to express the milk for my son. It's private, so I don't have other distractions."
Thursday's luncheon was sponsored by the East Central Health District and the CSRA Breastfeeding Coalition. Eleven companies that support the needs of breastfeeding mothers, like Lakesha, were recognized.
Wilson: "I don't have that guilt, at all, because I know I'm able to provide the best thing for myself. It feels really good that, even though I have to separate from him for those hours, he's still getting his milk."
Research shows that mothers who feed their babies formula missed work three times more often than moms who breastfeed...why? Because formula-fed babies are sick, more.
Breastfeeding Coordinator, Donna Wilson, says supporting breastfeeding in the workplace is good for business, because nursing moms miss fewer days, health care costs are kept at a minimum, and moms are happier.
Donna Wilson, East Central Health District Breastfeeding Coordinator: "These are companies who have gone through the effort to create a private and safe space, other than a bathroom."
And Lakesha says that option makes working worthwhile.
Johnson: "This time around, I promised myself that I would do it right."
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