August 2017
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Breastfeeding support with the Mamava Pod
UAA’s lactation pod, housed in the Student Union. Photo Credit: UAA.
As the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) opens its doors for
the 2017-2018 school year, students begin picking classes, gathering books, and
preparing for the semesters ahead. New to UAA — and Alaska — is the university’s first lactation pod, housed in the Student Union. The
Mamava pod, awarded through a federally funded grant by the Alaska Workplace Breastfeeding Support Project,
opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in
March 2017.
About the pod
The Mamava pod was founded and launched by two working
mothers from Vermont who felt that “nursing should be a right, not a
privilege.” The lactation program has locations across the country and gives mothers
who are nursing or pumping an opportunity to do so in a private and safe place.
Often, moms are left with limited options for breastfeeding or pumping in public buildings and other spaces. Their only
option may be bathrooms that lack electrical outlets, cleanliness, and extra
seating for small children. The pod comes with seating, outlets, a small
fold-down table, mirror, and light reading materials from the Department
of Health and Social Services. Located in the center of UAA’s
campus, the pod is accessible by students, faculty, staff, and the general
public.
Benefits of
breastfeeding
Studies show that breastfeeding provides babies and mothers
with many health benefits. Breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition for the
baby and is important for healthy growth, weight management for mother and
child, and chronic and infectious disease prevention.[1]
The U.S. Surgeon General released The Surgeon
General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding in 2011, which suggests a
variety of strategies to increase initiation, duration, and exclusivity of
breastfeeding, including supporting breastfeeding in the workplace.[2]
Infants who are breastfed experience fewer ear infections
and lower respiratory tract infections, and are at lower risk of Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome (SIDS), diabetes and obesity.[1]
Since the Affordable Care Act was signed into
law in 2010, providing breastfeeding mothers a reasonable break time and
private, non-bathroom space has been required of employers (find more information at the end of this
article).
The overall response to the Mamava pod
has been positive, with one woman writing, “Having
the lactation pod available has been so wonderful. Thank you so much for
providing a clean, safe place for me to pump.”
UAA will be tracking
usage of the Mamava pod to assess its success.
There are currently two tracking methods in place: a paper sign-in sheet
inside of the pod and an online survey
that can be accessed inside of the pod with a QR code or Survey
Monkey link.
A SmartLock code will eventually
track usage automatically when people unlock the pod. The SmartLock technology
syncs with Mamava’s mobile app to unlock the pod and track the number of pod users
through Bluetooth.
The UAA Mamava lactation pod is a step forward toward supporting
breastfeeding mothers at school and in the workplace, and helping Alaska
children grow up in a healthy way. For more information on the Alaska Workplace
Breastfeeding Support Project, contact Daniella DeLozier at (907) 269-3446 or by
email at daniella.delozier@alaska.gov
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: Workplace Lactation Accommodation Laws
SEC. 4207. REASONABLE BREAK TIME FOR
NURSING MOTHERS.
Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 207) states
An employer shall provide—
(A) a reasonable break time for
an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for 1 year after the
child’s birth each time such employee has need to express the milk; and
(B) a place, other than a bathroom,
that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the
public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk.
References:
-
Ip
S, Chung M, Raman G, et al. Breastfeeding and maternal and infant health outcomes
in developed countries. Evid Technol Asses. 2007(153):1-186.
-
U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action
to Support Breastfeeding. Washington, DC: U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General; 2011.
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