To support the health and well-being of both new parents and their baby, Indiana University is committed to supporting lactating employees as they return to work. Talk with your supervisor or local human resource office to discuss your plans to return to work while continuing to breast or chest feed your newborn.
IU Lactation Benefits & Resources
Indiana University aims to support lactating employees, students, and guests by providing information for wellness/lactation rooms. Healthy IU only coordinates the information to share and does not manage the spaces.
Click on your campus below to learn more:
Lactation support, supplies, and counseling are covered under IU-sponsored medical plans as preventive care with no member cost.
Lactation Medical Benefits
One breast pump is covered under all IU-sponsored medical plans at no cost during pregnancy following delivery when purchased from in-network providers.
Steps to obtain a qualified breast pump:
- Obtain a prescription from an OB/GYN for the breast pump (pediatricians do not provide a prescription for breast pumps),
- Purchase a pump through a local in-network Durable Medical Equipment (or DME) provider, or
- Purchase a pump through an online or national in-network DME provider.
*Sometimes, the OB/GYN provider will not provide a breast pump prescription until the baby is born, but it is good to have this conversation ahead of time to know how to get a prescription from their office.
Obtaining a Pump
The breast pump is considered durable medical equipment (DME), under an IU-sponsored medical plan. The prescription should be filled through an Anthem in-network DME provider. This can be the hospital, an approved local brick-and-mortar, or an online DME provider. Employees can find an in-network, DME provider by clicking here.
Alternatively, many employees order breast pumps through national online providers that are part of the Anthem network:
- Edgepark Medical Supply – 888-394-5375 – www.edgepark.com
- Byram Healthcare – 877-902-9726 – www.byramhealthcare.com
Providing a private space and a flexible work schedule that allows returning lactating employees time to express milk, when needed, supports them in their choice to breast or chest feed their baby and helps reduce anxiety they may experience when returning to work.
Privacy: Lactating individuals need a quiet, private space for expressing milk. Restrooms are unsanitary and not appropriate areas for lactation.
A room as small as 4’ X 5’ with a door that locks from the inside, a comfortable chair, a small table or shelf, an easily accessible electrical outlet, a trash can, and proper room signage is needed. It is ideal that the room be near a source of hot and cold water for washing hands, pump supplies and containers if there is no sink in the space. A refrigerator is not required in the space for lactation. If one is available, those should use it with caution, as the temperature may not be consistently monitored and items stored inside could potentially be accessed or altered by others using the space.
Flexibility: Allowing ample time to express milk during the workday provides a welcoming environment for a returning lactating employees. During the workday, lactating employees need to express milk about two to three times or every three hours. The act of expressing milk takes about 15-20 minutes. However, there are other factors to consider when determining a reasonable break time.
- The time to travel to and from the designated lactation area;
- Pump set-up, clean up and storage;
- Locating and accessing a sink to wash hands and supplies, if not available in the space.
IU provides accommodations and resources to support students and employees through pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum recovery, and pregnancy related medical conditions.
Additional Resources
CDC Proper Handling and Storage of Human Milk
Travel Recommendations for Lactating Individuals
TSA Special Procedures related to human milk, formula, and infant feeding equipment across all airport security checkpoints.
Learn about additional resources to support your breast/chest feeding journey.
- LactMed is a database containing information on drugs and other chemicals that are safe or harmful to lactating mothers. Suggested alternatives are also provided.
- Lactation Consultants in Your Community - An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant© (IBCLC©) is a healthcare professional who specializes in the clinical management of breast/chest feeding.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Provides information that supports lactating individuals.
- March of Dimes - Leading the fight for the health of all moms and babies, March of Dimes provides guidance on how to breast/chest feed, use a breast pump, transitioning your baby to solid foods, and much more.
- La Leche League International - Helps mothers worldwide to breast/chest feed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education. Find a support group.
- Indiana Black Breastfeeding Coalition promotes, empowers, embraces, and encourages African-American women to breast/chest feed.
- The Milk Bank provides safe pasteurized donor mothers’ milk for fragile infants as well as lactation resources and free lactation support.
- Tandem Community Resource Directory lists services offered to families in Monroe, Brown, Greene, Jackson, Lawrence, Morgan and Owen County, Indiana. These services range from doulas to medical providers to lactation support to pelvic floor physical therapists and more.
Pregnancy is a journey filled with ups and downs with many physical and emotional changes, and support is essential at every stage. It's common to experience distress such as anxiety, depression, or trauma before, during, or after pregnancy. Support groups provide a safe and caring place for connection and recovery. Click here for a list of groups that offer support at no charge.
Both parents can experience postpartum depression and anxiety in very different ways. Partners are often the first to notice signs of postpartum distress. Check out these tips for spotting postpartum issues and supporting your partner or signs of postpartum depression and anxiety in men.
Parents are encouraged to seek help from healthcare providers, mental health professionals, or the IU Employee Assistance Program.