Pushing breastfeeding policy even further

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 was a major reformation of the American healthcare system, and it included several laws aimed at helping different groups of Americans. One such law, the Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers law, was written with the intention of affording breastfeeding mothers the opportunity to pump breast milk at work. The purpose of this essay is to critique the Break time for Nursing Mothers Law, to discuss its shortcomings, and to present logical policy alternatives. Although noble in its intentions, this law does not do enough to protect nursing mothers. It is limited to the workplace and only applies to employers with 50 or more employees. This paper will recommend an extension of the Break Time for Nursing Mothers Law to all employees, protection of nursing mothers for a longer period of time, and accommodations for pumping and breastfeeding in public places. Increased breastfeeding of infants would have a profound positive impact on childhood illness, rates of obesity, and mental health for American children and families. This paper will also, advocate for federal legislation that promotes and encourages breastfeeding for its known public health benefits