Byram advocates for working women

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - Breast pumps allow women to return to work while still nursing, but many don't know they have rights to make that transition easier. That's something Byram Healthcare wants to change, says CEO Perry Bernocchi.

“It's part of Byram's social responsibility to educate new moms that this is a benefit to them,” said Bernocchi. “We also wanted to develop working tools that they can bring to their employer if their employer is unaware.”

Byram, whichsells about 15,000 breast pumps each month, recently commissioned a survey of 1,000 working mothers who breastfeed that found fewer than one in five know their rights in the workplace. More than half (52%) don't know they are legally entitled to a room to pump, that the room must have shades or no windows (54%) and must have a lock (42%).

Despite such requirements, many women still face obstacles when they return to work, says Judy Manning, vice president of marketing.

“While employers are required to provide all of these things, it's not always welcomed with open arms,” she said. “More than half of women indicated they had their hours cut or their workload altered because they were new moms.”

Contrary to belief, working women are just as productive while they are pumping in the office, says Manning.

“Women are multi-taskers,” she said. “They are on calls, they are checking emails—it's productive time.”

Byram has also developed a toolkit, “A Working Mom's Guide to Breastfeeding,” which helps women understand their rights in the workplace, offers advice on how to pick the right breast pump and get it covered, and provides “hacks” for working women, says Manning.

With women comprising a large part of Byram's own workforce, it's an issue hits close to home, she says.

“We want them to know we're supporting their rights, as well as women at employers cross the U.S.,” she said. “This is very important to us.”