Breastfeeding openly in public isn’t considered too scandalous these days. Even Pope Francis encouraged moms to openly nurse in the chapel a few years back, after a long history of forcing them into the bathroom to feed their little ones.
But it wasn’t always like that. It used to be pretty common for moms to be shamed for breastfeeding if they weren’t fully covered up. Several years ago, after a few high-profile incidents where mothers were asked to leave a public space while breastfeeding, the City of Toronto launched a campaign to let people know that breastfeeding is a human right, and it made a big difference.
Still, despite the growing awareness of breastfeeding and chestfeeding, and a growing openness to the fact that babies need to eat, whether by bottle or breast, it?s not always easy for parents to find a comfortable spot to feed their babies or pump milk away from home. For students, who often don?t have the same opportunities to stay home on parental leave with their infants, comfortable places to feed their babies or pump milk can be especially important. The University of Toronto, Mississauga (UTM) campus is working to address this gap. It recently became the second post-secondary institution in Canada (after Toronto’s Humber College) to offer a Mamava lactation pod to its students.
You may have seen a lactation pod before, maybe in an airport or a retail store. They’re freestanding spaces that provide a clean, comfortable and pri...