U.S. Military Rules for Breastfeeding Mothers in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy
November 11, 2008 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under breastfeeding, law
*** Last Updated November 11, 2008 *** Please see the notes for each branch of the U.S. military. If you have notice of updates to military breastfeeding regulations and policies, please alert me with a comment and I will be happy to keep this information up to date!
A military new mother generally receives six weeks of maternity leave starting the day she leaves the hospital. The leave can be extended upon written request along with a physician’s recommendation.
Air Force: The Air Force offers four-month deployment deferrals after the birth of a child. On May 23, 2007, Air Force Instruction 44-102 (PDF document) was modified to state:
4.15. Breastfeeding and Breast Pumping
4.15.1. The importance of breastfeeding during the first year of life to infant nutrition and health and to family emotional support is recognized by numerous private and governmental authorities. The
AFMS recommends that supervisors of AF members who are breastfeeding work with the member to attempt to arrange their work schedules to allow 15-30 minutes every 3-4 hours to pump breastmilk in
a room or an area that provides adequate privacy and cleanliness, if available. Restrooms should not be considered an appropriate location for pumping. The AF member must supply the equipment
needed to pump and store the breast milk.4.15.2. AF members who are breastfeeding or pumping remain eligible for field training, mobility exercises, and deployment. The Air Force Medical Service encourages commanders’ modifications of
these activities and/or work conditions for airmen who are breastfeeding, when possible. Nonetheless, duty requirements may not always be compatible with exclusive breastfeeding. In these cases, the AF
member must decide in consultation with her medical provider whether to attempt to continue breastfeeding and/or pumping breastmilk. AF 422 is not the mechanism for documentation that an AF member
is breastfeeding.4.15.3. The obstetrician, pediatrician or PCM shall annotate on an AF Form 422 a recommendation for deployment for those AF members who choose to exclusively breastfeed, i.e. the infant does not
take formula at all.4.15.4. Breastfeeding/breast pumping AF members may participate in field training and mobility exercises. Decisions to continue to breast pump must be made by the patient, in collaboration with
obstetrician or PCM, supervisors, training instructors and the MDG/CC in regard to having a place to safely express and store breast milk.
In a study of nine women on active duty in the Air Force, several of the women talked about how breastfeeding helped them bond with their babies.
The fact that you’re in the military, hurrah, hurrah, let’s go to war, let’s do this, do that, you’re not a woman, you’re unisex, and once you’ve had the baby, you’re no longer a woman, but back to being unisex. I think the nursing keeps you thinking-I’m a mother, I’m a woman, and I’m taking care of this child. That in itself keeps you sane, you don’t lose your identity.
Army: The deferment from mobility for Army mothers following the birth of a child has been extended to six months as of August 1, 2008. The extension also applies to one parent in dual-military couple who adopt a child. The policy applies to active duty, Guard, and Reserve members. Stars and Stripes reports that for Army mothers stationed in Landstuhl, Germany:
Landstuhl commander Col. Brian Lein signed a policy this summer that encourages a deployment deferment of 12 months for active-duty soldier mothers who are assigned to Landstuhl and its affiliated Army health clinics and breast-feed.
Marine Corps: The Marine Corps allows for 6-month deferments.
Navy: Navy policy provides for 12-month non-deployment period and lactation support in the work environment.
Additional Notes
Of course, policies may be very different from practices. La Leche League offers the following advice for mothers in the military:
While many military units are progressive and include a place to pump and even provide breast pumps, some have never been faced with the challenge of accommodating a breastfeeding service member. It may seem embarrassing and overwhelming for the new mother and her supervisors. Before her baby is born, it is important for a military mother to tell her supervisors that she intends to breastfeed. Sharing this information will prevent commanders from being caught off guard, scrambling to fit pumping into the often hectic military workday.
Breastfeed for Health notes:
Check with your local military hospital or clinic for classes on breastfeeding and for breastfeeding support through lactation consultants, nurses, physicians, and other providers. If you are not collocated with a military health facility and receive all health services through Tricare, check with your servicing Tricare office for the latest eligibility rules concerning breastfeeding support.
For a comprehensive overview of breastfeeding in the military, see Part I (Information and Resources Provided to Service Women) and Part II (Resource and Policy Considerations) of “Breastfeeding in the Military.” Military Medicine. Oct. 2003.
Sources:
~ Army Extends Deployment Deferments for Mothers of Newborns About.com US Military blog.
~ “New policy gives some nursing mothers in the Army a 12 month deployment deferral.” Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog.
~ “New Landstuhl policy encourages deferred deployment of 12 months for nursing mothers.” Stars and Stripes.
~ Rebecca M. Welton, Capt, USAF.
~ Part I (Information and Resources Provided to Service Women) and Part II (Resource and Policy Considerations) of “Breastfeeding in the Military.” Military Medicine. Oct. 2003
Leave a Comment
Any military moms out there? Let us know your experience. Thank you for your service to your country! Again, please let me know if you are aware of any changes to military regulations or policies on breastfeeding and I will update this post.
Hello!! Im active duty air force. I have a baby due in April, and my shop is already trying to send me TDY 5 months after I have my baby. They are so unsupportive of breastfeeding, and it seems that they have no concern for me or my baby at all. I really want to breastfeed for a year…but they’re definently doing all they can to prevent that from happening it seems. It’s like they think I’m breastfeeding just so I won’t have to deploy or go anywhere for temporary duty. It’s ridiculous. I wish I could just get out…but someones got to pay the bills, right? I’m going to try to get a 422 (profile) so i can breastfeed without having to worry about these jerks trying to send me off, even though there’s plenty of other people in my unit that would love to deploy. Right now is just NOT a good time, especially when it interferes with my babies well being and nourishment.
The military isn’t a place for pregnant or new moms. I just had my baby three months ago. While I was pregnant I worked long days, was on all kinds of working parties, and worked shift work that required me to miss meals. Apparently this wasn’t an issue to anyone except myself. Once I had the baby I was required to go right back to work and even though they have guidelines set up for breastfeeding moms, I was given a bathroom stall to pump in. You’re supposed to have a place to pump and a place to store your milk. My section is trying to send me out in the field for ten days and said, “Oh, you can just pick it up again after you get back.” Now because some MAN deemed that we only need a six month deployment deferment I can’t even breastfeed my baby for the first year as the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends. The military says that it’s family oriented, but it’s not. When our children need us the most, we’re required to leave them.
I am in a similar boat. I am single mom in the Navy reserves and had my son in Dec. I just received my orders for individual Augmentee in Iraq. My son will only be 7 months old when I leave. I have heard of the 12 month rule in the Navy for breast feeding mothers but I cant find it on ANY navy document to prove it.
If someone knows where I can find this instruction I would be very grateful, but I’m running out of time.
Stephanie,
Look at OPNAVINST 6000.1C. On page 1-8 “all transfer (permanent change of station (PCS), temporary additional duty (TEMADD), etc.) assignments are deferred fora period of 12 months following delivery unless the servicewoman requests earlier rotation, in which case a waiver is required. Earlier assignment to a non-deployable unit is acceptable, if the billet is a “hot fill.” The purpose for the delay is to allow the servicewoman time to regain her physical strength and stamina in order to perform the duties commensurate with her rate/rank.” Actually not so much about breastfeed moms, this applies to ALL new mothers. Page 1-9 also says “pregnant servicewomen will not be assigned to units that are deploying during the period from the 20th week of pregnancy through 12 months after the servicewoman’s expected date of delivery and any additional deferment time as determined by HCP.”
Why is it that everyone but the Air Force is at LEAST 6 months deferrment - The above article and all the profiles I have seen state that the deferrment for deployment is 4 months - but we arent even eligible to PT for 6 months… umm… am I missing something? I have one daughter and am pregnant with my second…I did not breast feed with my daughter because of the simple fact of deployments… My now ARMY doctor is pressuring me to breast feed with my second one… but I argue the fact WHY? So I can up and deploy in 4 months and leave my baby stranded and alone wondering where his/her real food is? It would be heartbreaking to watch my baby be torn from my breast a short 4 months later… The Military is NOT family oriented… if they wont allow us women to adequately take care of our children, then I do not believe they should have allowed us to sign the contract in the first place. Not to mention a large percentage of the Miltary are Men - who like you other bloggers have stated… do not understand OR want to comprehend the aspects of breastfeeding. I would love to raise awarness on this issue - but where would you even start? The policy needs to be changed… period.
Thanks for listening