Standing orders in the House of Representatives should be amended to allow MPs to breastfeed or bottle-feed their babies in the chamber, a parliamentary committee has recommended.

Standing order 257 prohibits visitors from entering the chamber, making it possible for MPs to raise objections with the Speaker if an MP brings an infant into the chamber.

The report by the procedure committee, tabled on Thursday, recommends that the definition of “visitor” be revised to exclude infants who require the care of a sitting member.

Arrangements that allow MPs to cast a proxy vote through their party’s chief whip, without having to enter the chamber, will continue.

“It should be recognised that members face particular demands associated with their role and as a result need particular workplace support in the early years of their child’s life,” the report said. “Given that several members, both women and men, have welcomed babies into their families this parliament, it is timely to consider the adequacy of measures to support members who are balancing their parliamentary responsibilities with caring for an infant.”

The inquiry into changing the rules in the house was initiated on 15 October, just weeks after the small business minister, Kelly O’Dwyer, was reportedly told by her chief whip, Scott Buchholz, to “express more milk” to feed her child so as not to miss a vote.

O’Dwyer is one of three new mothers in Parliament. She and Labor MPs Kate Ellis and Amanda Rishworth returned to work shortly after the birth of their babies.

In 2008, the Rudd government introduced changes that would allow breastfeeding MPs to vote via proxy during divisions. Since then, proxies have been used by nursing MPs on 33 occasions.

Senators have been allowed to breastfeed in the chamber since 2003.