Public lactation room unveiled at Boston City Hall

"At Boston City Hall and throughout our city, we need to ensure there are resources and support for parents, and I'm proud this new resource will be available to all at City Hall," said Mayor Walsh. "We look forward to continuing our work supporting parents and children throughout Boston, building resource for those who are raising the next generation of Bostonians."

The lactation room, created by Mamava, a woman-owned business dedicated to transforming the culture of breastfeeding, is a self-contained, mobile room with comfortable benches, a fold-down table, and an electrical outlet for plugging in a breast pump. Visitors are welcome to breastfeed anywhere in City Hall; the lactation room is an additional option for those seeking privacy. To access the room, visitors can download the Mamava mobile app or go to the information desk in the main lobby.

"We're thrilled to support breastfeeding people at Boston City Hall," said Sascha Mayer, Co-founder and CEO of Mamava. "We believe that all caregivers deserve a clean, comfortable, and dignified place to use a breast pump or breastfeed distraction-free -- anywhere, anytime. Mamava pods provide flexibility for facilities and easy access."

Mayor Walsh debuted the lactation room during the International Women's Day commemoration held at Boston City Hall. The event featured remarks from former Boston Artist in Residence Nakia Hill, the City of Boston's Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola, the City of Boston's women's employee resource group liaison Ann Carbone, and Christine Dodson, Chief Operating Officer at Mamava.

"As a working mother, I can relate to the many challenges parents face when caring for a new child," said Tania Del Rio, Executive Director of Women's Advancement. "For breastfeeding people, especially those who prefer feeding their baby or pumping in a private space, the lactation room can provide a much needed respite. I am proud of the diverse team at City Hall that made this happen."

This space continues the work of the Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement, whose work includes research on paid parental leave and childcare affordability; a multi-pronged approach to closing the gender wage gap; reducing the demand for sex trafficking in the City of Boston; and creating specific programming for women entrepreneurs.

In June 2014, Mayor Walsh created the Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement to prioritize advocating for equal opportunity for women and girls in the City of Boston. The Mayor's Office of Women's Advancement creates specific programming and opportunities that support three priority areas: economic equity, safety, and empowerment. Some of the office's most recent work includes reducing demand for sex-buying and trafficking and research on supports for the childcare workforce, as well as childcare access and affordability. Learn more on their website.

Based in Burlington, VT, Mamava is the expert in lactation space design, thoughtfully designing solutions for breastfeeding moms on the go. With both analog and digital products, Mamava products celebrate and support the 21st century breastfeeding mama. Mamava is mama-owned, made in America, and a proud member of the B Corp community. The Mamava app, free for iOS and Android, helps moms find pumping and breastfeeding friendly locations on-the-go, unlock Mamava suites through the proprietary Mamava Smart Lock, and find useful breastfeeding content. For more information, visit www.mamava.com.