A local college has created a space where new moms can breastfeed or pump in a comfortable and safe environment.
Nneka Morgini is an administrative assistant in the president’s office at Schenectady County Community College.
“I was concerned as to where I could find a sanitary location and safe location to breastfeed,” she said.
But the soon-to-be new mom no longer has to worry about here she’s going to breastfeed or pump thanks to the Mamava.
It’s a safe and secure place for nursing moms to pump breast milk.
“It’s a good feeling to know that they have somewhere that’s safe, that’s clean, and things of that sort that they can, you know, provide the proper nutrients for their child,” Morgini said.
Prior to the Mamava, new moms pursuing a higher education at SCCC were forced to use public bathrooms or empty offices to pump. The new addition is part of “Creating Breastfeeding Friendly Communities,” a five-year grant awarded to St. Peter’s Health Partners by the New York State Department of Health.
“They were able to purchase a single nursing pod, and they needed to find a location to have it in the Capital Region where it would be accessible to the public,” Exec. Dir. Of Development Stacey Mcllduff said.
The energy efficient pod cost about $13,000. It’s a small price to pay when it comes to assuring the success of nursing mothers who are also students.
“Every semester that struggle, relative to they are moms, they are moms-to-be, and they have to make a decision,” SCCC Pres. Dr. Steady Moono said. “’Do I go to school? If I go to school how am I going to take care of my baby?’ This lactation center helps us to address those needs.”
The Mamava is located in the Begley Building, a central location on campus that is monitored 24/7 by campus security. It’s even open to the public.
SCCC hopes the Mamava will create a dialogue around benefits of breastfeeding. The college plans to hold a community forum in the fall.
If you are looking for somewhere to breast feed or pump, check the Mamava website or download the app.
