Support for breastfeeding
Research shows that returning to work can impact the length of time employees continue breastfeeding. Charles Sturt is committed to supporting families to enable breastfeeding for as long as parents elect to breastfeed.
Support and options for breastfeeding parents
Support
Our support for breastfeeding at work can benefit employees and their work teams by:
- providing flexibility to enable employees to breastfeed children
- supporting a successful return to work after parental leave
- reducing absenteeism
- encouraging positive working relations
- reinforcing our commitment to work/life balance.
Options
You have several options to allow you to breastfeed children, including:
- delaying your return to work until your child/children can go without breastfeeds during work hours
- temporarily returning to work part-time while you're breastfeeding
- using onsite childcare so you can breastfeed when you're working on-campus
- having the carer bring to work for breastfeeds
- expressing at work.
Federal and state legislation protects the rights of parents to combine breastfeeding and paid work. It is unlawful to treat parents less favourably because they’re breastfeeding or because of their status as a parent. This means it may be against the law for an employer to refuse to make arrangements to assist an employee to breastfeed at work. However, the onus is on the individual employee to negotiate with their employer around their individual breastfeeding needs.
Breastfeeding parents are also entitled to a safe workplace that does not place children in danger. If you think there might be a risk, you may want to consult your healthcare provider or early childhood nurse.
Carers rooms
Each of our campuses offers a parent room open to parents, carers and young children. These rooms offer spaces for breastfeeding, expressing milk, changing nappies and caring for children.
Albury-Wodonga
| Location | Baby change facility | Suitable for breastfeeding/expressing |
| Learning Commons: Building 753, Room 119 | Yes |
Yes - please note that the room has glass walls with incomplete frosting which limits privacy. However, a small space with a privacy curtain is available. The room has a privacy curtain, fridge, microwave, power point, hot and cold water, hand soap, a nursing chair, table and nappy bin. |
| Murray Children’s Centre: Building 711, Room 113 | Yes - for children using the centre | Yes - for children using the centre |
Bathurst
| Location | Baby change facility | Suitable for breastfeeding/expressing |
| Rafters: Building 1413, Room 148 | Yes | Yes - please note that the room has glass walls with incomplete frosting which limits privacy. The room has a lockable door, fridge, microwave, hot and cold water, access to cleaning products, a table and children's toys. |
| Learning Commons: Building 1412, Rooms 311 | Yes | Yes - please note that the room has glass walls with incomplete frosting which limits privacy. The room has a lockable door, fridge, microwave, hot and cold water, hand soap, paper towels, a playmat, and a nursing chair. |
| Engineering: Building 1305, Room 124 | Yes | Yes - however, card access must be arranged to access the building. The room has a lockable door, fridge, microwave, power point, hot and cold water, table, nappy bin and television (with HDMI and USB ports). |
| Mitchell Early Learning Centre: Building 1438 | Yes - for children using the centre | Yes - for children using the centre |
Dubbo
| Location and room | Baby change facility | Suitable for breastfeeding/expressing |
| Interactive Learning Centre: Building 901, Room 131 | Yes |
Yes The room has a lockable door, fridge, microwave, power point, hot and cold water, table, comfortable chair, nappy bin, and lockable cupboards. |
Orange
| Location and room | Baby change facility | Suitable for breastfeeding/expressing |
| Learning Commons: Building 1005, Room 232 | Yes | Yes - the room has full height frosting on internal windows and door and has blinds on windows. The room has a lockable door, fridge, microwave, power point, cold running water, kettle, table, comfortable chairs, a nursing chair, nappy bin, play mat, children's toys and books and cleaning products. |
Port Macquarie
| Location and room | Baby change facility | Suitable for breastfeeding/expressing |
| Learning Commins/Pitkin House: Building 801, Room 2040 | Yes | Yes - please note that the room has glass walls with incomplete frosting which limits privacy. However, a space with a privacy curtain is available. The room has a privacy curtain, fridge, microwave, power point, hot and cold water, comfortable chairs, nappy bin, and cleaning products are available. |
Wagga Wagga
| Location and room | Baby change facility | Suitable for breastfeeding/expressing |
| Learning Commons: Building 13, Room 138 | Yes | Yes - please note that the room has blinds/frosted glass for privacy. The room has hot and cold water, paper towels, hand soap, a play mat, some toys, a comfortable chair, a table and power points. A microwave and fridge are situated in the kitchenette adjoining the room. |
| Graham Building: Building 229, Room 173 | Yes |
Yes The room has a lockable door, fridge, microwave, hand washing basin with hot and cold water (not boiling), comfortable chair, hand soap and paper towels. |
| Charles Sturt-Riverina Children’s Centre: Building 461 | Yes - for children using the centre | Yes - for children using the centre |
Guidelines for using carer's rooms
The guidelines for the use of the rooms are:
- Be courteous and respectful of parents, carers and young children in the room at the same time
- Understand that this facility is a shared space/resource for all parents, carers and their young children
- Appropriate use of the room would include a quiet study space when accompanied by young children, and/or for breastfeeding, expressing milk, changing infants, or for caring for young children
We welcome community members visiting Charles Sturt University who are parents or carers to use the room.
Preparing to come back to work
As soon as you know what you need, it's a good idea to make childcare arrangements on campus (if available). Places are highly sought-after, so it's best to make these arrangements as soon as you know you're pregnant. This will make it easier for you to breastfeed your child at work instead of expressing.
Plan in advance how you'd like to come back to work and continue to breastfeed. We suggest you talk with your healthcare provider and explore the options.
Lactation breaks
We provide reasonable flexibility for lactation breaks during the work day, taking into account the operational requirements of the area. This could include:
- flexible starting and finishing times
- use of accrued flexi-leave
- time off for you to express breast milk or breastfeed your baby on campus
- allowing lunch and/or other breaks to coincide with feeding times and/or be extended
- a short period of time to return home for purposes of feeding.
A combination of breaks in paid time and flexi-time can be negotiated with your supervisor, using any of the options above.
The International Labour Organisation recommends two thirty-minute breaks in an eight-hour shift for breastfeeding mothers on top of normal breaks. However, the number of breaks required will vary depending on the age and needs of the individual child.
Negotiating breastfeeding breaks
Contact your manager as soon as you're certain of your intentions to continue breastfeeding when you return to work. In this discussion, you should explore:
- suitable space for you to breastfeed and/or express
- arrangements regarding lactation breaks.
These arrangements should be reviewed regularly as your baby’s needs change and to take account of the operational requirements of the area.
Concerns
If you're concerned about breastfeeding at work, contact the Division of People and Culture who will refer your enquiry to the appropriate team.
In the event of any discrepancy between this website and the Enterprise Agreement or relevant Policy/Procedure/Guidelines, the terms of the Agreement or Policy/Procedure/Guidelines will prevail.
More information
In the first instance, you should seek information from your healthcare provider or early childhood nurse.
Australian Breastfeeding Association
Access a wealth of information on breastfeeding and the National Breastfeeding Helpline.
Breastfeeding Policy
The policy outlines our approach to breastfeeding on Charles Sturt campuses.