Right to Pump

I thought some of you might be interested to know that the new health care bill that was passed establishes a right to pump at work in the entire U.S. This is especially relevant for me, having just returned to work and needing to pump 3 times a day. My office is fairly laid back and my boss is very understanding, but not everyone is as lucky. You can read more about it here. Here is the gist of it:

The bill would require employers of 50 or more employees to "provide reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for 1 year after the child’s birth each time such employee has need to do so. The employer shall make reasonable efforts to provide a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk. An employer shall not be required to compensate an employee for any work time spent for such purpose."

I also wanted to make a note of the over 1 million baby slings being recalled due to infant deaths. The recall involves 1 million Infantino "SlingRider" and "Wendy Bellissimo" slings in the United States and 15,000 in Canada. I just want everyone to be aware of this. There are many safe babywearing options out there, but please remember to always follow all instructions and periodically check your carrier to make sure it feels secure. Safety first!