Chicago Sky arena has new breastfeeding pods
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
A Mamava pod at an airport. Photo: Courtesy of Mamava
New mothers may feel a little less stressed at Sky games now that Wintrust Arena has added new lactation pods.
Why it matters: Nursing mothers are often relegated to less than ideal spaces, like storage closets or restrooms, to nurse their babies or pump their breast milk, but the new lactation pods offer a clean, private space and help remove distractions for nursing babies.
Driving the news: Mamava installed two new lactation pods last week at the home of the Chicago Sky as part of a new partnership with the venue.
Flashback: In 2006, Mamava co-founder Sascha Mayer was breastfeeding her second child and during business trips and conferences she was forced to search for a private space to pump.
- At the same time, she read a New York Times article about the tiered system of breastfeeding — mothers who worked in corporate environments had at least some autonomy to pump, while baristas, for example, only had a public restroom or their car.
- That was the genesis for Mamava, which installed its first pod in 2013.
State of play: The pods are now in airports, arenas and other public spots in all 50 states, parts of Canada and some international military bases.
What they're saying: "In the last 10 years, breastfeeding initiation rates are up 10%, with 83% of moms or parents at least initiating breastfeeding. And with that, obviously, in this country, because we don't have paid parental leave, you're usually also needing to pump," Mayer tells Axios.
What's next: Mayer says Mamava is focused on growing its app, which allows users to find the pods and accessible lactation locations around the globe.