New Lactation Room available on Notre Dame campus

As announced earlier this fall on the HR web site:

A new lactation room is now available for use in the Main Building, Room 506. Lactation rooms are also available in Hesburgh Library, Grace Hall, and DeBartolo Hall. For more information contact the askHR Customer Service Center at 574-631-5900 or askhr@nd.edu.

Hooray for more support for breastfeeding ND moms!

Lactation Rooms on campus!!

This is a big step forward in support of breastfeeding on campus! Thanks to Jessica Brookshire from Human Resources for her leadership and perseverance on this effort.

The University is pleased to announce the availability of three general lactation areas on campus for faculty, staff, and graduate students to support women balancing their work and study commitments with their needs as mothers of young children. Each campus location offers a quiet, clean, and secure environment for women who need to express breast milk during their time on campus.

Lactation rooms are located in the Hesburgh Library, DeBartolo Hall and Grace Hall. Employees will be able to access the rooms with their Notre Dame ID card. Employees can request lactation room access by visiting http://hr.nd.edu/work-life-balance/lactation-rooms or contact askHR at (574) 631-5900 for additional information.

Lacation Space Update

I thought I would give a quick update on the lactation space efforts. There is a new space in the Lower Level Grace Hall ladies room lounge. Here's the word from Jessica:

Grace Hall now has new furniture and a temporary curtain. We are still trying to make this location secure and improve the space with a replacement for the curtain.
Two other locations are still being finalized – Hesburgh Library and DeBartolo Hall. We are awaiting construction pricing to confirm these two are reasonable locations.

Nice BBC article on mom's benefits

Breastfeeding 'protects mother'

Women who breastfeed their babies may be lowering their own risk of a heart attack, heart disease or stroke, research suggests.

A US study found women who breastfed for more than a year were 10% less likely to develop the conditions than those who never breastfed. ...

[Read the entire article]

Second hand fenugreek?

I wonder if the lactating women of New York noticed a boost in their milk supplies in October 2005 with the fenugreek (herb that boosts milk supply) wafting through the air....

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A mysterious, maple syrup-like odour that has periodically wafted over New York City since October 2005 has been linked to New Jersey fragrance processing plants, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Thursday.
Fragrance and food additive factories in nearby New Jersey where fenugreek seeds are processed are the "probable source" of the odour, Bloomberg told a news conference at City Hall.

“When breastfeeding is accepted, it won’t be noticed.”

There's a new advertising campaign in Marin County, CA, to promote aware and acceptance of breastfeeding in public. According to an article on nbcbayarea.com,

... A series of life-sized photographs of women breastfeeding their babies, cut-out and plastered on poster board, is all part of an eye-catching campaign to encourage and promote the acceptance of breastfeeding in public. ...

Each of the figures holds a card which reads, “When breastfeeding is accepted, it won’t be noticed."

What an excellent idea, I'd love to put some of these up during home football games!

Lactation rooms on campus!

We're excited to report that Jessica has been working with the ND Space Management Committee on a proposal for some dedicated space for lactation rooms around campus. We wanted to run some of they key points of the proposal by all our BEST mom experts for feedback. Please either comment right on this blog entry, or feel free to send Sara or me an e-mail. (links to the right.) We'll keep you posted as we learn more about when the lactation rooms will be available.

The Indiana state legislature enacted a law on July 1, 2008 requiring all employers with 25+ employees to accommodate individuals’ needs to pump and store breast milk at work.

Based on research and talking with other universities we have identified the following recommendations for the University of Notre Dame:

Recommendation:

Locations: Provide four locations across campus, in areas with large populations of female employees who work in shared environments.

Four originally suggested areas include:
Grace or Flanner
Hesburgh Library
Mendoza College of Business
LaFortune Student Center (possible public site)

Approved space:
Hesburgh Library
McKenna Hall or Hesburgh Center

Space and other Requirements:
Each location should be a minimum of 7 feet by 7 feet
Close proximity to a sink
Electrical outlet
2 gliders/recliners
Table (or two)
Private and secure
Changing table
Blinds on windows (if applicable)
Tri-fold screen that can be used between gliders/chairs

Other:
A lactation room privacy symbol was developed by the University of Michigan and is available for our use on each of our lactation room doors.
We are looking into giving women access with their ND ID cards (similar to access to the Faculty/Staff Weight Room in the Joyce Center).
We will also intend to provide each nursing mom:
An insulated cooler bag for milk storage.
We are also looking into providing a subsidy for a breast pump for each nursing employee.

Other items to consider purchasing:
Clorox
wipes
CD player
Books
Water cooler