Breastfeeding leave in France: an overview and alternatives

Breastfeeding leave is not an official provision of the French Labour Code. In fact, there is no specific leave for breastfeeding mothers after maternity leave. However, the law does provide for some adjustments during this period.

The legal provisions that apply in the workplace

Article L1225-30 of the French Labour Code states that any employee who is breastfeeding is entitled, during her child’s first year, to one hour a day during working hours to breastfeed. This break can be used to breastfeed breastfeed at work your baby directly or express milk. The hour can be split into two half-hour breaks, one at the start and one at the end of the working day. However, these breaks are unpaid unless a collective agreement provides otherwise. 

Some more supportive measures exist in the public sector, including occasional adjustments to working hours. Even there, however, no clearly defined universal framework exists.

However, employers and employees alike are rarely aware of or exercise this right. It is also often difficult to put into practice in workplaces that are not suitably equipped.

It is also possible to take unpaid leave or shorten the prenatal portion of maternity leave. 

The limitations of the current legal framework

Without official breastfeeding leave, new mothers often face a difficult choice between extended maternity leave and a quick return to work. This lack of structural support can have several consequences.

Increased psychological pressure. Returning to work can become a significant source of stress and guilt. Some mothers feel compelled to wean their baby earlier than planned. This can lead to frustration or even a sense of failure.

Having to weaning your baby early. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after birth, followed by combination feeding until the age of two. However, many women in France have to stop breastfeeding as soon as their maternity leave ends. This lasts around 10 weeks after giving birth if they have not taken parental leave. This early weaning deprives the child of the benefits of breastfeeding breast milk in the long term.

Unequal access to breastfeeding support depending on the sector or size of the organisation. Support measures may exist in large companies or public administrations. But in small and very small businesses, or in jobs with fixed hours, such as hospitality, retail or hospital work, it is often very difficult to adjust your schedule or access suitable facilities.

In response to this reality, several initiatives are emerging to better support breastfeeding in the workplace. This fits within a broader approach to employee wellbeing and support for parenthood.

Parental leave

Parental leave allows an employee to suspend or reduce their professional activity to care for their child after birth, up to the age of 3. It is available after 1 year of service with the company and can be taken full-time or part-time. Although it is not paid by the employer, who will not pay your salary, financial support may be provided by the CAF. The request must be made in writing to the employer within the prescribed timeframes. It is therefore not strictly speaking breastfeeding leave, but it is an option for extending breastfeeding. 

Setting up dedicated expressing spaces

More and more companies are equipping themselves with comfortable, private, and hygienic spaces. This enables employees to breastfeed or express milk in good conditions. It allows you to feel more relaxed, and to have your breastfeeding herbal tea or breastfeeding snack Jolly Mama. Feel free to read our article on how to express milk for more advice. 

Pachamama Solutions has specifically designed breast-expressing chairs ergonomic and stylish, designed to integrate seamlessly into a professional environment, while ensuring comfort and privacy. 

The mission of Pachamama Solutions is therefore to support women who choose to continue breastfeeding and to combine it with an active professional life. 

These dedicated facilities are mandatory for companies with more than 100 employees.

Click here to: Find out more about breast-expressing chairs in the workplace 

Informing employers

Raising awareness among managers and employees about the challenges of breastfeeding, through conferences and workshops, helps to create a culture of care. This also involves introducing breastfeeding policies within a company, as well as open discussions about the needs of new mothers.

Introducing flexible working hours

Hybrid working policies can also offer greater flexibility to breastfeeding mothers, allowing them to adapt their schedules more easily.

Postnatal pathological leave is an extension of maternity leave, granted to women in the event of health complications arising after childbirth. It is a specific form of sick leave, prescribed by a doctor, when the mother's physical or psychological health requires additional rest.

Who can benefit from it?

Any employed or self-employed woman may be entitled to postnatal pathological leave if a doctor (GP, gynaecologist or midwife) identifies a pathological condition directly linked to childbirth, such as:

Postpartum depression.

Post-birth infection.

Obstetric complication (haemorrhage, musculoskeletal disorders…).

Extreme fatigue or difficult recovery.

What is the duration of postnatal pathological leave?

The duration varies according to the doctor's assessment, but it cannot exceed 4 weeks. 

Is postnatal pathological leave paid?

Yes. This leave entitles the holder to daily allowances from the Social Security system, as with a standard sick leave. It is therefore paid, subject to the usual eligibility conditions (length of service, contribution period, etc.).

While we still lag somewhat behind countries such as Norway, Canada, and Brazil, which offer forms of paid breastfeeding leave or workplace breastfeeding support, the trend is gradually shifting. The topic of breastfeeding at work is beginning to emerge in public debate, driven by associations, parent collectives, and committed start-ups such as Pachamama Solutions. 

Let us remember that supporting breastfeeding mothers is not only a public health issue — it is also a professional equality issue. Supporting the choice of breastfeeding mothers means allowing them not to have to choose between their role as a mother and their career. Being able to take unpaid leave or reduce maternity leave is not a sustainable solution.  

While breastfeeding is encouraged for its nutritional, psychological and economic benefits, it remains paradoxically under-supported in the professional world. Although breastfeeding leave does not exist as such, practical alternatives are emerging: lactation rooms, flexible hours, breaks, remote working, or additional internal leave.

Public policy, businesses and society as a whole must recognise that supporting breastfeeding in the workplace is a powerful lever for wellbeing and professional equality. Ultimately, supporting mothers in this choice is also a step towards a society that better supports parenthood. 

If you would like to find out more about the Pachamama solution, click here to get in touch with the team.