Babies in the Workplace

As mentioned, in companies with structured programs, babies tend to be "unusually" happy compared to what many people expect prior to implementation of a program. In these programs, coworkers frequently end up getting to know the babies personally, bonding with them, and taking turns caring for them for very brief periods. This eases the burden on parents and gives the babies a social network of people with whom they feel safe and comfortable. These "baby breaks" are very short (and thus don't negatively impact overall productivity) and often result in people feeling happier, more motivated, and more productive after they've held or played with the baby.

Babies-at-work programs make it much easier for mothers to continue breastfeeding when they return to work and to successfully establish a long-term breastfeeding relationship with their babies. The higher rates of breastfeeding made possible by these programs result in babies who are easier to soothe through nursing (which makes sense, given babies' incredibly strong urge to suck). Frequent breastfeeding is actually ideal for baby brain development, and babies who are allowed to feed on cue nurse frequently by nature.