A topic of recent discussion on campus, the need for comfortable places for recent mothers to nurse around campus, is now receiving support and hard-pushing representation from Los Medanos College student life.

“It was brought up during a public comment meeting,” said John Nguyen, Student Life Coordinator and LMCAS Adviser. “They said it would be appreciated — having spaces where they would be able to…basically spaces for a lactation room.”

“The CDC Guide to Breastfeeding Interventions” published in 2005 by the Centers for Disease Control goes over the recommendations for what these rooms should contain.

The guide notes that a Nursing Mother Room (NMR), Lactation room, or Lactorium as they are called by some, would be centrally located with adequate lighting, ventilation, privacy, seating, a sink, an electrical outlet and possibly a refrigerator.

The issue found at Los Medanos College would likely be the school’s size, and potential number of users of the rooms.

Angela Fantuzzi with Child Development frequently sees the need for the rooms on campus. “Really having a place for them to be able to do it, whether to pump or breastfeed their babies, you know where they’re calm…I think it’s needed,” said Fantuzzi.

Noting that Child Development can already provide semi-comfortable places to pump or nurse, Fantuzzi emphasized that while having dedicated space is better than not, because of the known advantages of feeding newborns breast milk, it would be ideal to have multiple locations around campus.

“If you ask me in the perfect world, I would do it in different areas, because the more we allow people to do it, probably the more people will do it,” said Fantuzzi. “If we were able to offer it throughout campus where it’s easier for mothers to lactate, it would be ideal.”

Fantuzzi emphasized the time sensitivity of newborns need to feed and explained why one room, even if centrally located, would not be enough for parents.

“For a baby, when they need to feed, they need to feed within a few minutes; they cannot wait for somebody probably to cross the whole campus to find the one room.”

If you would like to further voice your need for a lactation room on campus, reach out to the Associated Students or through Student Life at (925) 473-7554.