Breastfeeding Rooms
More and more businesses and workplaces are offering special breastfeeding rooms for nursing moms and their babies. While some moms welcome this idea, others think it’s not a big deal to nurse in public and cordoning breastfeeding moms off from the general population is counter to the message we want to get across: that breastfeeding is simply the act of feeding a baby.
What’s your take on this? Are you more comfortable nursing where you’re at, or do you specifically shop at establishments that have breastfeeding rooms set aside?
One of the advantages of a breastfeeding room is that you will at least have a comfortable chair to sit in, and no bystanders staring or worse, getting offended and asking you to leave. Of course, many moms find that once they learn how to nurse discreetly, this is no longer an issue because noone even knows they’re doing it!
Depending on the location you are at, some shopping centers and other public buildings have special nursing areas for moms. If you feel much more comfortable nursing in private, these are great. Bathrooms are often busy distracting and dirty. Not to mention smelly! You wouldn’t want to eat in a bathroom, and your baby shouldn’t have to either. If you’re in a store, the fitting rooms are great for some privacy and a place to sit down.
Of course, breastfeeding rooms in the workplace are a wonderful thing for many moms who are returning to work and pumping their milk to give to their babies. They provide a clean, private area where a mom can keep her pump away from the eyes of nosy (and perhaps unsupportive) coworkers.
Breastfeeding has so many benefits for the employer – saving them money due to reduced absenteeism, reduced insurance claims, and more retention of female employees – that you think more would jump on the bandwagon.
