Moms looking for a clean and safe space to nurse their child will now have a few new spots to visit. In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, the Department of Health unveiled five lactating pods in public buildings with one located in each borough.
In the cozy breastfeeding rooms, moms will find a bench, changing table and electric outlet to plug in a breast pump. They’ll no longer have to squeeze into dirty bathroom stalls to pump milk or field stares from ignorant folks who don’t know that women have every right to nurse in public. The lactating pods are also decorated with images of other women breastfeeding their child to offer guests a little comfort while feeding their little one.
The five pods are located in the Brooklyn Children’s Museum in Crown Heights, the Queens Hospital Center in Jamaica, Harlem Hospital Center, the Bronx Zoo and the Staten Island Children’s Museum. Best of all, these pods are accessible to all new moms and don’t require paying admission fees at these institutions. Each pod is locked with a keypad and women just need to ask a staff member for the proper code and walk right in.
To find a lactating pod and other community lactating rooms, visit nyc.gov, or check out our list of the best places for breastfeeding in NYC.