Calling All Mamas! Mamava Nursing Pods Make U.S. Airport Debut in Milwaukee, More on the Way

This does not encourage the public's acceptance of the most natural way to feed your baby. It does not promote positive attitudes toward nursing in public. The LAW allows all nursing mothers to nurse wherever they are authorized to be. Having this "option" basically tells nursing mothers that "this is where you should nurse, please go inside." This opens the floodgates for strangers, non-breastfeeders, managers and airport security to tell a nursing mother to move into one of these pods (which is against the law; a nursing mother cannot be asked to move, leave or cover up). If Mamava really wanted to support nursing mothers, they would create a public version and a private version of their pods. If the seats were comfortable (they do not look comfortable) then I would definitely use an open public version of the pod (i.e.with no walls and no door). They promote this as a private "safe" place to pump (I seriously do not ever think I'm about to get mugged every time I pump or nurse; the public areas these are located at is just as safe as inside this modified garden shed). However there is no sink to clean pump parts, so already this does not meet the basic criteria of a pumping room (it also needs to be within close proximity of a bathroom or kitchen sink to clean parts making this barely a step up from a toilet stall). So a pumping mother still needs to go in the bathroom to wash the pump parts. I am sure the businesses, airports and malls these are in have not invested in adequate signage to make sure those who want to use it can find it. There is also no room for strollers inside. AND, it does not comply with ADA standards so it is discriminating against nursing mothers in wheelchairs who cannot fit inside. Mamava also assumes that the first place a nursing or pumping mother will think to go when it's time to pump or nurse is a bathroom. I dunno about you ladies, but the LAST place I would ever think of feeding my child is in the toilet. When she is hungry, I look for a place to sit but usually I nurse her in my Tula carrier. And she is 29 months and still actively breastfeeding. I also pump for donation and give away all of my pumped milk. This product does not follow the public nursing law. It creates yet another reason for the public to shame breastfeeders into hiding away when the law gives all of us every right to nurse where we are at that moment, covered, uncovered, standing, sitting, lying down and so on. I would never use this product. It's confining and shaming. There are cultures that make their menstruating girls and women hide in an outhouse during their time of the month; this is no different. Please only feed your child in this modified shed with no windows. Ugh.... And also, who is responsible for cleaning this pod? I've learned in the 2 1/2 years of being a mum that other parents don't care about leaving dirty diapers, empty fruit pouches, soiled clothing in public places. Who goes in and wipes down the seats, floors and table after each use? After a while it will be as dirty as a toilet.

I see some baby-making going on in these...especially when the airfield is closed due to wx.

Of course not. But you or I or our children don't have to go to a special place to eat so why should a baby? I'm not saying they shouldn't provide them if people want them, just that it's a shame that they feel they need to.

I would appreciate these if I were a traveling mother who needed to pump. That is a much harder problem to solve, IMO, than breastfeeding. They don't even look that comfortable. And, yes, I agree, how will they make sure they are only used for their intended purpose? I believe MSP has a nursing room, but I believe you have to get a key/admittance from the service desk. It's so far out of the way that I've never used it, though.

Yes, isn't that the way, anybody can do anything they want, any time any place ! The public be damned !