WUNRN
http://www.wunrn.com
Website shows photos of lactation spaces in multiple airports.
INCREASE IN AIRPORTS PROVIDING LACTATION PRIVATE SPACES FOR NURSING MOMS
Frequent traveler Katy
Mann is "not super comfortable nursing in public, no matter how covered up
she is." So when it comes time to nurse her baby in an airport while
traveling with her children, Mann says her only option is often sitting on a
dirty bathroom floor in a family restroom.
It's no easier when she
travels without her baby.
In airports, "I find
it difficult to find a place to pump," Mann said. "So I sit on a
toilet in a stall, fully clothed, trying to stay as clean and sanitary as
possible and then I dump (the milk) in the toilet because those bathrooms could
be pretty dirty."
Mann's airport experience
is quite common.
In November 2014, a study to
determine which U.S. airports offered the minimum requirements for a
breast-pumping mother (a private space with a chair, table and electrical
outlets – other than a bathroom) showed that while 62 out of the 100 airports
reported being "breastfeeding-friendly," only eight of the airports
surveyed provided private lactation rooms that met the minimum requirements.
Those airports
were San Francisco International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul
International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International
Airport, Indianapolis International Airport, Mineta San Jose
International Airport, Akron-Canton Airport in Ohio, Dane County
Regional in Wisconsin and Florida's Pensacola International Airport.
"The fact that only
six of the eight offer a room inside the secure area, 37% reported having
designated lactation rooms, and 25% of those airports think a restroom is an
appropriate place for a mother to either breastfeed her infant or express milk
demonstrates the lack of understanding of the needs of the breast-pumping
mother," the study concluded.
Airport administrations in
many cities seem to have gotten the message. And, like spas and gourmet dining
outlets, we may soon be able to declare specially created nursing spaces and
lactation stations an official trend in airport amenities.
In September 2014,
Chicago's Department of Aviation opened a Mother's Room on Concourse C at
Midway International Airport. The creation of a similar space at O'Hare
airport is under consideration.
With its October
2014 “ re-boot,” Dallas Love Field added a room for nursing moms across the
hall from a play area for kids.
"We realized early on
that a proper facility was needed – a clean, quiet place for nursing,"
said Mark Duebner, director of aviation for the city of Dallas.
"Since opening we have had great feedback and are proud to provide one
more amenity to our customers."
In December
2014, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport added pre-security
nursing stations in each terminal, at a cost of $8,000 to $12,000 per each
converted or retrofitted space. Each room contains a sink and countertop, a
soap dispenser, a paper towel dispenser, a baby changing station, comfortable
seating and an electrical outlet.
And while it set aside a
room for nursing mothers several years ago (before there was even an official
pictogram to mark the space), in early March 2015 Minneapolis-St. Paul
International Airport opened two lactation centers in Terminal 1-Lindbergh
specifically designed for mothers to express milk before boarding their
flights. (One room is on Concourse F near Gate F2, the other is on Concourse C
across from Gate C13. A third room will open in Terminal 1 at the entrance of
Concourse E later this year.)
The new lactation rooms
have a deep sink for cleaning equipment, easily accessible electrical outlets,
soft lighting, artwork, a baby changing table and comfortable seating. There
are also some thoughtful extras, such as a USB charging station, hooks for
hanging garments and bags and a full-length mirror "so when you're putting
yourself back together everything is back to where you want it to be,"
airport spokeswoman Melissa Scovronski said.
While some airports are
carving out space for lactation rooms, others are bringing in freestanding,
movable lactation stations.
In August 2013,
Vermont's Burlington International Airport (BTV) installed a
prototype of pod-like lactation unit made by local company Mamava. The unit has
bench seats, a power outlet and a fold-down table for use with a breast pump,
soft lighting, a mirror and space for luggage and/or a stroller.
The lactation pod is free
to use and has been a big hit with BTV passengers, airport spokeswoman Erin
Knapp said, and "a great option for privacy for traveling families."
Just in time for spring
break travel, last week Milwaukee's General Mitchell International
Airport announced the purchase and installation of three Mamava lactation
suites. One is located before security and two are beyond the security
checkpoints, on Concourses C and D.
The suites are a good
addition to the many family friendly amenities at the airport, MKE spokeswoman
Patricia Rowe said, and "we know sometimes the family-friendliness of an
airport can be a deciding factor in which airport a family will choose for its
travel."
Looking forward,
the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey has plans to roll out
Mamava lactation pods in the NYC-area airports, "in the next coming
weeks," starting with Terminal B at Liberty Newark International
Airport and LaGuardia's Central Terminal Building. Mamava CEO Sascha
Mayer said she's also been talking with airports in Atlanta and Houston and
lactation pods could be showing up at those airports by the end of the year.
"Traveling moms who
are breastfeeding need a place that's private and comfortable," said
Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, family vacations expert at About.com. "Lactation
spaces and nursing rooms solve this problem. There are long-overdue airport
amenities that I'm happy to see catching on.