Returning to work after welcoming a new baby can be overwhelming, especially for parents who need to express milk throughout the day. Since 2017, Penn Medicine has been working to ensure that staff can quickly access well-equipped lactation rooms. Jennifer Brady, MA, RD, manager of Employee Health and Well-Being, has spearheaded this multi-phase, system-wide initiative, which includes creating a catalogue of existing lactation rooms, outfitting additional spaces, and ensuring that all new construction is lactation-friendly.
At Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (PPMC), the process also highlighted a key issue. While most employees could easily walk to PPMC’s dual-station lactation room in Wright-Saunders, feedback indicated that the room was a bit far for some pumping employees, and they had difficulties leaving their high-acuity patients for long stretches of time. It was decided to evaluate other options, keeping in mind that space is very limited. After doing a few walkthroughs, Brady, Bob Russell, MS, associate executive director for Operations, Gary Ginsberg, assistant executive director, and Margorie Michele, MPA, PhD, chief Human Resources officer, decided that if they couldn’t find a new space to provide the accessible, high-quality resources employees deserved, they’d add one.
They opted for a freestanding Mamava pod — a popular sight in airports, universities, and stadiums nationwide. The pod, which made its debut last month, includes a hospital-grade breast pump for added convenience and offers 26 square feet of clean and comfortable space for breastfeeding and pumping. The Mamava app lets employees know when the pod is occupied, and it provides a secure access code, ensuring users enjoy a private and quiet experience.
“In a year and a half, we’ve more than doubled our amount of lactation rooms, and we now have more than 60 stations across the health system,” Brady said. “This is just another example of our commitment to empowering our employees and to helping new parents succeed as they balance their professional goals with their breastfeeding goals.”