Receive FREE Recognition as a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite!!

The Texas Mother Friendly Program offers free recognition to companies that support women to express breastmilk while at the workplace.

Your company's Human Resources Director and/or your Employee Wellness Coordinator are encouraged to contact NET Health and learn how to create a worksite policy that directly addresses accommodations for your employees who are mothers of newborns, or how to update your existing worksite policy so that mothers of newborns can safely breastfeed their infant while at the worksite and/or to privately express breastmilk for storage while at their worksite.

This wonderful initiative supports your employees who are mothers of newborns and our WIC staff are able to present information about the program to your business. 

Below are companies in the Tyler area that are current Texas Mother Friendly Worksites:

• Mosaic Counseling Centers of East Texas
• Champions for Children of Smith County
• Baylor Scott & White - Texas Spine and Joint Hospital in Tyler
• The Family Learning Center in Tyler
• Broadway Square Mall in Tyler
• Northeast Texas Public Health District (NET Health) - All 20 WIC Offices throughout East Texas
• Region 4/5 North offices of the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
• Texas Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) - 3 office locations in Tyler
• Tyler Regional Office of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
• St. Paul Childrens Services - Medical Clinic, Dental Clinic, and Foundation Offices
• Texas Parks & Wildlife - 6 office locations in the Tyler area
• CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital - Main Campus in Tyler
• Tyler Fire Department - Administrative Offices
• UT Health Tyler - Main Campus in Tyler
• University of Texas at Tyler

Many employers may already meet the criteria to qualify as a Mother Friendly Worksite and can receive this free recognition if they offer a written employee worksite lactation policy that includes the following:

1. Flexible work scheudles that include breaks in work patterns to provide time for expression of milk
2. Access to a private room, that is not a bathroom, for the purpose of milk expression
3. Access to a nearby clean and safe water source and a sink for washing hands and rinsing out breast pump equipment
4. Access to hygienic storage options for mothers to safely store breastmilk 

Some of the benefits that are already evident from the free Texas Mother Friendly Program include:

• A smoother transition back to work because the breastfeeding mother can nurse on demand.

• The rate of absenteeism is reduced and employee retention is improved due to the mother’s high rate of overall contentment with her newborn by her side.

• The staff member feels a higher sense of loyalty to her employer because her breastfeeding goals are valued.

• As the mother reaps the benefits of a successful breastfeeding relationship, she talks openly with others about her experience in the program.

For more information regarding the “how-to’s” of this Mother-Friendly Worksite initiative, and to learn how your company can apply to become a Mother-Friendly Worksite, contact us by calling (903) 593 - 8331 or sending an email to [email protected].