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IBM Plans ‘Breastfeeding Delivery Service’: But Will It Really Help Female Employees?

A brilliant perk or a way to keep mum behind their desks?

First, Sir Richard Branson’s epic paternity leave offer and now IBM’s breastfeeding delivery service. On the surface it looks like big companies are finally waking up to the needs of the mothers in their workforce

But is this delivery service really the best way to support working parents?

Rather than bringing their baby to work, IBM employees will be able to send their breast milk home. [Rex]
Rather than bringing their baby to work, IBM employees will be able to send their breast milk home. [Rex]

The service from IBM offers working mums a private space to pump breastmilk for their baby, package it up and transport it home for feeding time - all completely covered by their employer.

According to The Register, the offer also extends to when these mums have to travel for work. They’ll be provided with temperature-controlled packages ready to be filed with milk at their hotels. These will then be delivered back to the woman’s home overnight.

“We do all the work so the mother doesn’t have to think about any of the details,” IBM’s vice president, Barbara Brickmeirer, told the Washington Post.

Women make up 29 per cent of IBM’s US workforce. [Rex]
Women make up 29 per cent of IBM’s US workforce. [Rex]


Like Apple and Facebook’s egg-freezing offers, the whole scheme sounds like a way to encourage mums back into the work place after giving birth – especially as the technology industry is still so dominated by men.

IBM’s plan sounds like a great start, but how many women will it actually benefit? And is it really the best way to help them out?

Well, women make up a tiny 29 per cent of IBM’s US workforce, and only a small number of these will be mums. An even smaller number will actually be breastfeeding.

We can’t help thinking companies such as IBM might be better off investing in helping parents have more flexible working hours, or the option to work from home, instead of offering to deliver their breast milk cross-country.

This is particularly the case in the States, where IBM employees are currently only entitled to six weeks fully paid maternity leave – while dads and adoptive parents can take just two weeks.

The programme will kick-start in the States in September, with plans for it to become global if lots of mothers make use of it.

And here’s hoping it’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to IBM’s - and other big companies’ - plans to support its working parents.

What do you think of the scheme? Let us know in the comments below.

[Virgin’s Incredible Paternity Leave Offer: A Third Of Men Would Turn It Down In Favour Of Spending Just Two Weeks With Their Baby]

[Apple And Facebook To Pay For Female Employees Egg Freezing: A Perk Too Far?]