Melaleuca Receives Healthy Workplace Award for Supporting Nursing Mothers

The WIC Program and Eastern Idaho Public Health (EIPH) teamed up to give Melaleuca the Worksite Breastfeeding Advocate Award at a special event commemorating World Breastfeeding Week. Melaleuca was recognized for its support of nursing mothers and for creating a work environment that encourages breastfeeding.

Melaleuca’s recently completed headquarters contains several “mothers lounges.” These are dedicated rooms for nursing moms to take pumping breaks as needed. In addition to the lounges, the Melaleuca home office has free pumping and breastfeeding equipment for mothers. The company also provides free access to a maternity nurse and educational resources through its “Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby” program.

Melaleuca’s mission is to enhance lives, and its commitment to assist nursing mothers is just one part of its overall efforts to encourage physical health and promote total wellness.

EIPH serves eight counties in Eastern Idaho with a mission to prevent, promote, and protect. EIPH has partnered with the federally funded WIC Program to preserve families’ health and safety by actively promoting breastfeeding.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the unique, natural composition of human breast milk makes it the ideal source of nutrition for infants. Breast milk aids babies’ mental and physical development and contains antibodies that protect against illness. Breastfeeding also provides benefits to mothers, including lower risk of cancer and osteoporosis.