Access to Workplace Breastfeeding Facilities among Mothers Working in Selected Private Organizations in Port Harcourt City, Nigeria

Abstract

Breastfeeding is crucial for infant health, but working mothers in the private sector face significant obstacles to exclusive breastfeeding, often due to insufficient workplace facilities. This study determined the proportion of working mothers who exclusively breastfeed, assessed the availability of workplace breastfeeding facilities, and evaluated the acceptability of existing facilities among mothers in selected private sector organizations in Port Harcourt City, Nigeria.  A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was employed. Using multi-stage sampling. 450 working mothers were recruited from 25 private sector workplaces across five wards of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area. Data were collected via interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using IBM SPSS Version 26. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate the proportion of mothers who exclusively breastfeed and the availability and acceptability of breastfeeding facilities. Only 39.1% of participants had ever exclusively breastfed their child, and just 4.3% were currently doing so. Regarding availability, 24.4% reported having a workplace breastfeeding facility. Of those, 17.8% found the facility close to their office, 11.1% reported a physically separated area, and only 8.9% confirmed the facility was away from the restroom. Among the 110 mothers with access to a facility, 100% expressed a preference for breastfeeding at the workplace. However, only 18.2% reported the presence of power outlets, comfortable armchairs, or breast milk storage systems. A critical gap exists between demand for and provision of workplace breastfeeding facilities in the private sector in Port Harcourt City. Employers must invest in well-equipped, private lactation spaces supported by enabling policies to improve exclusive breastfeeding rates and maternal-infant health outcomes.