Nursing Breaks: Rights, Benefits and Health

What Are Nursing Breaks?

Nursing breaks are paid work interruptions legally guaranteed to breastfeeding mothers who return to work after giving birth. They allow the mother to breastfeed her child or to express breast milk using a pump, ensuring that the child continues to receive breast milk even after the mother resumes employment. In Germany, nursing breaks are enshrined in the Maternity Protection Act (Mutterschutzgesetz, MuSchG).

Legal Framework

Under Section 7 of the MuSchG, breastfeeding mothers are entitled to nursing breaks of at least twice 30 minutes or once 60 minutes per working day. If the working day exceeds eight hours, the entitlement increases accordingly. These breaks must be paid by the employer and cannot be counted toward statutory rest periods. The entitlement to nursing breaks remains in place for as long as the mother is breastfeeding, with no statutory time limit.

Health Benefits for Mother and Child

Benefits for the Child

• Breast milk contains antibodies and immune factors that strengthen the infant's immune system.
• Breastfeeding promotes emotional bonding between mother and child.
• Breast milk is optimally suited to the nutritional needs of the infant and supports healthy development.
• Breastfed children have a lower risk of infections, allergies, and chronic diseases.

Benefits for the Mother

• Regular breastfeeding or pumping prevents milk stasis and mastitis (breast inflammation).
• Breastfeeding supports uterine involution after delivery.
• It may reduce the long-term risk of certain cancers, such as breast cancer.
• Regular breastfeeding supports maternal emotional well-being and bonding.

Practical Implementation

Employers are obligated to provide breastfeeding mothers with a suitable, quiet, and private space for nursing breaks. This space should be clean, comfortable, and equipped with the necessary amenities. Many mothers use nursing breaks to express milk with a breast pump, which is then stored for later feeding of the child.

Storage of Expressed Breast Milk

• At room temperature (up to 25 °C): up to 4 hours.
• In the refrigerator (4 °C): up to 72 hours.
• In the freezer: up to 3–6 months.

World Health Organization Recommendations

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding alongside appropriate complementary foods until the age of two years or beyond. Nursing breaks at the workplace are a key measure for putting these recommendations into practice and increasing breastfeeding rates among working mothers.

When to Seek Medical Advice

Mothers should seek medical advice if they notice any of the following:

• Pain or hardness in the breast (possible sign of milk stasis or mastitis)
• Cracked or sore nipples
• Insufficient milk production
• Fever or general malaise during the breastfeeding period

References

1. World Health Organization (WHO) – Breastfeeding. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/breastfeeding
2. Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth – Maternity Protection Act (MuSchG), Section 7. Available at: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/muschg_2018/__7.html
3. National Breastfeeding Committee at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) – Breastfeeding Recommendations. Available at: https://www.bfr.bund.de/de/nationale_stillkommission-57360.html