Support Working Mothers with These Lactation Room Essentials

You're a new mom, back in the high-pressure world of deadlines and conference calls. But amidst the professional flurry, the question of where and how to express breast milk looms large. A well-equipped, stress-free, and comfortable lactation room can make a significant difference in providing for their newborn while also maintaining one’s professional responsibilities. And since working mothers make up nearly one-third of the female labor force, lactation rooms, aka mothers’ or nursing rooms, are essential for supporting breastfeeding moms and creating a thriving, inclusive workplace.

What Does the Law Say About Lactation Rooms?

The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act, more so known as the PUMP Act, is a recent addition to the existing legal framework supporting breastfeeding mothers in the workplace. Prior to the PUMP Act, the Fair Labor Stands Act (FLSA) mandated break time and private space for nursing moms, but it only applied to employers with more than 50 employees and excluded exempt employees, typically salaried professionals. The PUMP Act closes this gap, ensuring most working mothers, regardless of their position or salary structure, have access to:

• Reasonable Break Time: Employers must provide mothers with breaks to pump breast milk for their child up to one year after childbirth. “Reasonable” is determined by considering factors like how often a mother typically needs to pump and the nature of her work duties.
• Private Space: A clean, private, non-bathroom space must be furnished by the employer for mothers to express milk comfortably. This space should be free from intrusion and shielded from view.

Also, the FLSA didn't explicitly address whether pumping time counted as paid work time. The PUMP Act clarifies that for mothers who are not completely relieved of duties during their breaks, pumping time is considered work time and should be compensated accordingly.

Essential Elements for a Functional and Private Lactation Room

While the PUMP Act doesn't specify design elements, it emphasizes functionality, ensuring the space allows for comfortable, private, and hygienic milk expression. You can enhance your office inclusivity with a space that needs their needs without knocking down walls or going through a major overhaul.

• Visual Privacy: The room should have door (lockable if possible) and display an “occupied” or “in use” message to discourage interruptions or accidental barge-ins. Walls should be opaque and windows be equipped with blinds or frosted glass for added discreetness. 
• Sound Privacy: Install acoustic panels, curtains, carpeting, or other sound-dampening materials to minimize echoes and noises from the often-loud breast pump.
• Lighting: Adjustable, non-glaring lighting allows mothers to create a calming atmosphere.
• Functionality: A mothers’ room needs to be outfitted to serve its purpose: a comfortable chair with back support and pillows, a flat surface for a breast pump and supplies, electrical outlets, and a refrigerator for storing milk. A sink with running water is ideal for rinsing pump parts, but not mandatory; you could have your lactation room next to a bathroom for rinsing out parts.
• Accessories: Useful accessories in a nursing room include a trash can, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes, coat rack or hooks, paper towel dispense, white noise machine, wall art and decorations, and full-length mirror. If many mothers are sharing the room, install a clipboard or bulletin board outside the door to help schedule room use.

Plan Your Lactation Room with Versare

With a little creativity and understanding of your workplace, you can create a cozy area for nursing moms without breaking the bank. Look around — is there a never-used storage or first aid room or an unoccupied, private office that could be repurposed into a lactation room? Little tweaks like adding a privacy lock, comfy chair, side tables, and signage can make all the difference, especially for small businesses where space is at a premium. If you have a larger room that can hold two or more stations, the stations should be separated by room dividers, like the Room Divider 360®, StraightWall™, Operable Wall™, or QuickWall®, to enhance privacy and shield from intrusion. They’re easy to install and move as needed, making way for a resourceful, reconfigurable solution.

Our room pod kits let you create a secluded space within a large open area. Turn any corner into a retreat of focus with our quick-to-deploy private rooms. The EverBlock® Room Kit is a unique, Lego-like, easy-to-assemble room with strong sound-dampening qualities and an accordion-tyle door with magnetic closure. Also with a door feature are the EverPanel® Room Kit and EverPanel® Room Kit with Roof. They use durable, lightweight, interlocking panels to create a self-supporting structure; there’s no need to connect it to a permanent wall. They feature open channels to run power, networking, or plumbing between panel sections. All three of these modular designs can be reconfigured or moved as your space needs change, making them a smart choice for dynamic business environments.

Implement These Helpful Mothers’ Room Resources Today

By meeting the basic legal requirements and incorporating thoughtful design elements, companies can create a comfortable, private, and functional space that allows mothers to continue to provide nourishment for their young. It demonstrates the company's commitment to supporting working mothers, fostering a positive work-life balance.

Ready to redefine workplace support with proper lactation rooms? Request a custom quote and our team will tailor a solution just for you.