Hendrick earns Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite Gold Designation

Hendrick Medical Center and Hendrick Medical Center South in Abilene have earned the Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite Gold designation for proactively supporting employees who choose to breastfeed their infants. The Gold designation signifies the offering of program components beyond the minimum Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite criteria.

“We are thrilled to receive the Gold-Level Mother-Friendly designation,” said Layla Bohall, clinical nurse leader in perinatal education at Hendrick. “This designation speaks volumes as to the investment that Hendrick Health places on the well-being of its employees and their families.”

Created by the Texas Legislature in 1995 and administered by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite program recognizes employers with written policies reflecting their support for their breastfeeding employees. Healthcare experts recommend women breastfeed their infants through a baby’s first year of life, but working mothers often stop breastfeeding soon after they return to their jobs because they do not have sufficient worksite support.

As a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite, Hendrick policies provide work schedule flexibility to allow milk expression breaks, offer private space where the employee can pump or breastfeed, access to breastfeeding classes and lactation consultants, a dedicated space to pump and/or feed their infant with access to a hospital-grade pump and paid lactation breaks.

Hendrick Medical Center Brownwood is also a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite.

To learn more about the Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite Program, visit http://texasmotherfriendly.org.