How to Set Up an Awesome Lactation Room

In this day and age, every office needs a place for nursing moms to pump for their babies!

I need milk!

 
As a former working/nursing mom, I can personally attest to the value of having a good area I knew I could use for this purpose. Nursing moms work for different reasons and have different feelings about it, but they all have one thing in common: They need and appreciate a comfortable and safe place to pump! This will make it much easier for them to balance work and family.

A space for nursing moms to pump needs these features:

• Privacy.
• Cleanliness. 
• Electrical Outlet.
• Table/Cabinet and Chair.
• Ease of Scheduling.
• Bonus: Space Heater, Sink and/or Fridge.

 Got it? Good! Go ahead and set it up. No? Here are some more details:

Privacy

Good options for a private space include anyplace a woman can be alone and shut and lock the door. If she has her own office (without windows to the general office, or with windows she can cover up) she is set. However, even if your current resident nursing mom is in this situation, chances are in the future someone else will need to pump who doesn't have an individual office there. Viable choices for a lactation room include: A dedicated room for nursing moms (especially if you are at a larger company), a conference room, somebody else's office (in a pinch), a storage area with sufficient space and comfort, even an IT closet if it is big enough. Not viable: the bathroom (even if it is a single stall, no nursing mom should have to pump in the room where people do their bathroom business. That's gross). Also not viable: anywhere garbage is stored or anywhere with traffic that can't be cut off as needed. Hopefully that is obvious!

Cleanliness

Hopefully this is obvious too! This is baby food being made, so anyplace full of dust, grime, bad smells or contamination of any kind is a bad choice. Once you have a decent space, clean it up nicely and leave some Clorox wipes (or similar) in there so the mom(s) can sanitize as needed.

Electrical Outlet

Most women who pump milk regularly will be using an electrical pump. This is not only easiest, in general, it is also most efficient. In addition, the mom may be able to pump while using her laptop, which makes pumping time productive time for work too. Bonus!

Table/Cabinet and Chair

The nursing mom will need a comfortable seat and a table or counter to put her equipment and reading material/laptop/other projects on. If there is a cabinet or similar where she can leave her pump and accessories, that is good, but if not, it's not the end of the world.

Ease of Scheduling

Plan on a space that will available 1-3 times per day, per mom, for 15-30 minutes each session, depending on the needs of the mom. Keep in mind that timing needs vary from woman to woman and even day to day. If the milk is coming slowly she may need more time that day - and trust me, she is not doing it on purpose! She just needs to be able to take the time needed to get enough food to feed her baby. This is a strong argument for having a dedicated space, or a space that doesn't need to be scheduled for anybody else's work or meetings. Usually the pumping schedule will become quite regular, so several nursing moms can work out a schedule for the room among themselves. Some are even comfortable pumping together. Negotiating with coworkers for use of a meeting space at regular times throughout the day can be a lot more difficult, depending on how flexible the coworkers and meeting requirements are.

Bonus Features: Space Heater, Sink and/or Fridge

Space Heater - This is really nice, especially in a cold office. Pumping is easiest when you're comfortable and relaxed, and it's hard to be comfortable or relaxed when freezing cold! Easy pumping = fast pumping (for most), and that is good for the moms and the employer.

Sink - Pump pieces have to be washed thoroughly and often. Most moms will do whatever they have to do to make sure this happens (use the sink in the break area or kitchen, for example), but a sink in the lactation lounge is the easiest, most discreet way to take care of the cleaning, and therefore awesome.

Fridge - It's possible to keep milk in a personal cooler stocked with ice packs, but it is best to keep it refrigerated if possible. This ensures the longest shelf life and lowest risk of going bad. Some moms are comfortable stashing the expressed milk in a break room fridge, but a small separate fridge in a secluded area is great for the peace of mind that comes with knowing your baby's food won't be contaminated, spilled or messed with in any way. Just make sure people know nothing else should be stored there!

Now you're ready!

Get ready for nursing moms to love working at your office. Pumping worries can weigh heavily on new moms returning to work, and a fabulous lactation room will go a long way in helping them with the transition. On behalf of working nursing moms, thanks for the support!


Additional info can be found at these links:

http://www.corporatevoices.org/lactation
http://www.kathryntyler.com/got_milk.htm
http://www.breastpumpsdirect.com/establishing_a_corporate_lactation_program_a/149.htm