There will be three mamava pods at MKE
General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee will be the first airport in the nation to unveil mamava, a free-standing pod for breastfeeding and pumping mothers. The pod provides benches, a fold down table, a USB port, power outlet, soft lighting, space for a stroller or luggage, lock and a mirror.
As with all things parenting and all things breastfeeding the reaction on the internet was swift. Some mothers are hailing it as a long overdue accommodation for breastfeeding mothers and others are viewing it at a way to shame and seclude breastfeeding women. So which is it?
Personally, having spent a total of 4 years (and more to go) as a breastfeeding mom I have no problem breastfeeding in public. I’m not a fan of doing it squished up against a stranger in an airport, but a baby’s gotta eat (and preferably, not scream). My immediate reaction was “why not breastfeed where ever you already are?” But then, I took a moment and went back to month 1, 2, and 3 of breastfeeding. I wasn’t as confident as I am now, we didn’t have the hang of it, and breastfeeding in public was difficult because it was just such a clumsy process. Or, when I was pumping, which I already hated and had no interest in feeling like a Holstein in front of my husband let alone an airport full of strangers. Or when I had a baby who was easily distracted and breastfeeding in public was beyond frustrating because of all the things the baby would rather look at.
In the United States, just over 79% of women start breastfeeding, but by 3 months, only 40% of women have continued to exclusively breastfeed according to the CDC. Anyone who’s breastfed before can tell you those first three months are the hardest. I realized, this accommodation isn’t for me, and if you’re ok breastfeeding in public then it isn’t for you either.
It’s for the nursing and pumping mothers aren’t as comfortable in public than those of us who have the hang of it. It’s for you and me pre-confidence, and 79% of other women who are just trying to do what’s best for their baby and need all the help they can get. These are the women who need our support, and I applaud MKE for keeping these new moms in mind.
Of course, there is the flip side. If this space turns onto another way in which we isolate mothers “Excuse me lady, there’s a pod in Concourse C for that.” It’s a whole different story.
An airport has taken initiative to make this space for nursing and pumping moms. Coupled with breastfeeding laws and support from the public, this small change can help mothers quite a bit. But, it’s up to us an our attitude to make it a positive (or negative) thing.
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Our “Milk Freezer”
After my son was born, like many moms, I worked hard to provide breast milk for him while he was at daycare. This entailed expressing breast milk by pumping. You can read my story about exclusively pumping breast milk here. My hubby and I had a streamlined system for which milk went into the fridge, and which milk went into the freezer of our refrigerator. We used a simple system of rotating frozen milk (always using the oldest milk first).
After a while, we tired of limiting our frozen food choices at the grocery store, due to the milk overtaking our freezer. We invested in a deep freezer and began storing frozen milk in what would become known as the “milk freezer”. Just as I was beginning to feel confident that I could provide enough milk for my son at daycare, he was diagnosed with a milk allergy. I was devastated. Although I began eating a dairy free diet so that I could continue providing milk for him, all the milk that I saved for him could not be used. Or could it?
As my lactation consultant helped me with eliminating dairy (including caisin, and whey), so that my baby could continue to drink my milk, she mentioned that I might be able to donate my milk to a human milk bank or other source.
There are several human milk banks throughout the country. Each bank has strict guidelines that donors must adhere to. Unfortunately, because I was taking prescription medication at the time, I was not eligible to donate to these milk banks. However, there are less formal milk donation networks available with less stringent guidelines. I posted the availability of my milk as well as the medication (which was approved for breastfeeding by the FDA) I was taking. I received many responses from moms, clamoring to provide milk for their babies.
I donated thousands of ounces of breast milk to two deserving families. One was to a family in my hometown who had adopted a 4-month-old baby. Since it is only a 2-hour drive from Richmond, I packed the milk in a cooler and met the mom in a shopping mall parking lot. After this initial donation, I realized that I could probably help another family, now with dairy-free milk, which is more challenging to find. (Because I exclusively pumped, I followed a structured regimen for pumping to ensure I had an adequate supply).
My second batch of milk went to another family that lived a few states away. They had an older baby who was a year and a half with significant medical issues. I packed the milk up according to guidelines in a Styrofoam cooler and express mailed it, then hoped for the best. The child’s mother e-mailed me right away, letting me know that the milk had arrived and confirmed that it was still frozen.
She thanked me at every opportunity, sending me heartfelt cards telling me about her growing child and major developmental milestones. She told me that she felt strongly that the milk that I provided for her child was a factor in her child’s growth.
If my son had not been diagnosed with his milk allergy (and years later, he is still allergic to cow’s milk), I am not sure if I ever would have known about milk donation. However, donating my milk was one of the best decisions I ever made because I could help a family (actually, 2 families!) who did not have the opportunity to breastfeed for a variety of reasons. I also think I benefited psychologically from helping others, since I had such a difficult breastfeeding journey. And hey, I have been a blood donor, and I am on the bone marrow registry – so why not milk donation? Is milk donation the right choice for you – as either a donor or a recipient?
Click here to learn more about human milk banks, milk donation, and milk storage.
Click here to learn more about dairy and other food sensitivities and allergies with breastfeeding here.
Click here for resources on breastfeeding in general.
Click here for other stories about breastfeeding from Richmondmom.
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What does this photo mean to you? To me, it represents nurturing, sustenance and love. The infant seems relaxed, engaged and all is well. Unfortunately, this was not my breastfeeding experience. Breastfeeding was an emotional journey for me. It seemed the odds were against me – low milk supply, baby with reflux and feeding issues (which would continue through his preschool years), multiple yeast infections, mastitis, and difficulty latching. All of our feeding sessions except two ended in screaming fests. Because I had low supply, I attempted to feed my son, then my husband would feed him a bottle, then I would pump. Sometimes I would partially pump, then try and feed My son.
Supplemental Nursing System (SNS)
I worked with a lactation consultant for several months trying to get baby to latch and deal with my low milk supply. We even tried the Supplemental Nursing System (SNS). This tube allows you to breastfeed your baby, while also supplementing with either pumped milk or formula, so that your baby can eat at the breast. Unfortunately, this did not work for us either.
With only 2 weeks left before I returned to work, I needed to change course. So, after 2 1/2 months of trying to feed my son at the breast, I made the difficult decision to exclusively pump. This means that although my baby received my milk, he drank it from a bottle. At first, I didn’t have enough milk, so I needed to supplement with formula. We made up a cocktail of sorts, that my son would get a bottle of breast milk (sometimes only ½ an ounce or an ounce) and then a bottle of formula. During these early days, my son was receiving ¾ formula and ¼ milk. As the weeks went on, I was eventually able to increase the breast milk ratio, to where he no longer required formula. Interestingly, my low supply was no longer an issue once I made the decision to exclusively pump, because I felt good about the decision and let go of some of the stress.
While I initially looked at my breastfeeding experience as a failure, it was anything but. I was able to exclusively pump for my son until he was 2 years and 11 months old. Now that is a success – even though it looks very different than I originally envisioned.
This was possible due to my supportive husband, first and foremost. He fed baby while I was pumping, and later cared for him when I was pumping and my son had already been fed. Additionally, online support groups conveyed positivity and told me that I could make this work for my baby and me. (This was especially helpful when some family and friends left me feeling discouraged about my choice, saying things like, “Wouldn’t it be easier if you just gave him formula?” or “How much time does that take? I would NEVER do that!”) Finally, I was fortunate to have a supportive employer who provided a clean, private and secure pumping location on my breaks.
Do you know someone who exclusively pumps? Is it something you would consider?
Click here to learn more about exclusive pumping.
Click here for resources on breastfeeding in general.
Click here for other stories about breastfeeding from Richmondmom.
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