The Mamava Lactation Pod in CC3 is now officially open and ready for use. The pod opening was originally delayed after its placement in March due to security and privacy concerns.

“It is open for use,” said Carlos Montoya, Business Services Manager at Los Medanos College.

The delays occurred due to issues with the ceiling in the pod, which had a window that bystanders in the classroom above could see into. The other security concerns regarded the ability to ensure those who were using the pod were doing so in the way it was intended.

“We wanted some sort of procedure to check-in to it,” said LMC president Bob Kratochvil. “We wanted to have surveillance.”

Police Services on campus have worked closely with Montoya in order to reach agreements on safety measures concerning the pod.

“We’re going to ensure safety the way we do in other parts of the campus,” said Wehrmeister, “It’s like a new lab or resource for our students […] We’d be called for anything criminal.”

Users can download the Mamava app on their smartphones and create an account with their email or through their Facebook accounts. The app provides them with access to a daily code in order to get into the pod.

According to the email sent to students on behalf of LMC, “The Lactation Pod is designed for supporting students, employees and members of the college community who desire a private space for nursing, pumping or expressing breastmilk.”

For any mothers who need to access the room, but do not have access to a smart phone or the app, they can contact the Welcome Desk in the Student Services Center at (925) 473-7374 or visit the desk in person to receive the code for that day.

“We put up some temporary signage— permanent signage is ordered and should be here in the next week or two,” said Buildings and Grounds Facilities Manager Russ Holt.

This pod will not be the only place to provide this type of service to mothers on campus, as the new Student Union will have a space for mothers to breastfeed built into it.

“We have it designed in the new buildings,” said Kratochvil.

Though all concerns surrounding the pod have not yet been dealt with, agreements to establish new protocols for the police department on campus have been set up to check the pods and ensure that people are using them correctly and with a guaranteed level of privacy while using them.

“We’re sensitive to how people see the space […] We look at these spaces like we look at our new buildings. Emergency personnel can get in there with a hard key,” said Wehrmeister, “They wouldn’t allow us to have a design that would electronically fail.”