In the 21st century, women are already at par with men, not only in their abilities but also in terms of working skills. Problems are arising about women being discriminated in the workplace especially during their maternity leave, their delivery and eventually in taking care of their newborn baby.
According to Lexology, this "indirect discrimination" problem occurs when an employer's "provision, criterion or practice" or (PCP) puts everyone in equal footing - to wit, all male and female employees. What makes this discriminating is that women have protected characteristics as individuals in the community.
One example of which is the very common "Eight-hour" working policy in most working area. Women who are breastfeeding their infant might need some more time, thus this working policy must be shortened for them to attend to their infant needs which might take some years, until the infant is fully developed.
For moms who have just gave birth to their babies, although maternity leaves are available to them, they still need to spend quite some time in breastfeeding their infants. Breastfeeding is very crucial to moms. In the present, "breastfeeding" have just become an option to moms but there are certain consequences that would be very dangerous to moms.
First is the condition called "Mastitis." Mastitis is a condition that causes a woman's breast tissue to become painful and inflamed. It's most common in breastfeeding women, usually within the first three months after giving birth says NHS.
If mastitis is caused by breastfeeding, doctors may refer to it as lactation mastitis or puerperal mastitis. Non-breastfeeding women often have a type called periductal mastitis.
The next one is "Engorgement." Engorgement occurs during the first few days after the baby is born. The milk-producing cells in your breasts become swollen, making letdown difficult. Your breasts may also look red and shiny. This discomfort however would eventually ease if moms breastfeed her baby on a regular basis, Baby Centre says.
In order to prevent discrimination in the workplace, employers must carry out risk assessments on all female employees who are breastfeeding. Ensure suitable facilities and rest breaks are provided. Be open and flexible when considering making reasonable adjustments, where possible, to the working conditions of a breastfeeding employee.
