Women's Center announces new lactation rooms

The Ohio University Women’s Center and its collaborative partners announce new lactation rooms throughout the Athens Campus.

Since 2015, Ohio University has added 11 lactation rooms to the Athens campus, with three more planned for the near future. The goal for these rooms is to be strategically placed so no matter where one is on campus there is a room available within a 10-minute walk.

“As a University that is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, we have to think about the structures of our spaces as well. In order for us to retain students, faculty, and staff, we must provide services like the lactation rooms,” said Dr. M. Geneva Murray, director of the Women’s Center. “We are far past the days of relegating new parents to closets or bathrooms. It is a proud moment that Ohio University has invested in these spaces.”

The lactation rooms around campus are pivotal for multiple reasons; to provide a clean and private space for new parents, to offer a peaceful area in which one can feel comfortable in and to encourage new parents to pump, breastfeed or chestfeed for as long as they need.

Executive Director of Wellbeing Jenn Bennett said she has experienced how stressful it can be to pump in a common break room with the door propped closed and wants to make it a more relaxing experience for those needing the space on campus.

“Working as a mom has so many facets to it and pumping or expressing milk can be a challenge to say the least – reserving space, bringing the supplies, managing your time so you have enough time between clients or meetings and getting all of your work done. With limited time to complete the task, location, privacy and comfort are essential to being able to express the needed milk needed to provide to whomever is watching your child while you are at work. Having fully supportive lactation rooms, with comfy chairs, a microwave, a fridge and a pump or side table can mean the difference between two ounces and 12 ounces,” Bennett said. “As the executive director of wellbeing, employee wellness is a top priority of my office. Employee wellness and wellbeing looks at a whole person to support their journey as a person, as well as an employee. Working with the Women’s Center to add a lactation room in our WellWorks Wellness Center was a no-brainer.”

Throughout the last several years, the Women’s Center has worked hard to provide funding to equip the rooms with similar amenities. These amenities include a glider chair and ottoman, mirror, hospital-grade multi-user pump, refrigerator, and microwave.

“When thinking about the future of the college and workplace, resources and support play crucial roles. Creating a positive environment for faculty, staff and students is important to the university,” said Miranda Kridler, senior planner in the Strategy and Innovation Office. “Providing services like the lactation rooms will help extend the University’s positive environment to new parents.”

Three new lactation rooms were opened this year in Heritage Hall, Schoonover Center, and The Ridges. Others can be found in Alden Library, Baker University Center, Convocation Center, Grover, Irvine, McCracken, McKee, and the Medical Education Center, and rooms are planned for Copeland, Lindley, and Central Services. Lactation rooms are also available at the five regional campuses, as well as on the Dublin and Cleveland campuses.

The Women’s Center is planning to help assist with adding more locations throughout the campus in the near future.

To find the exact locations of lactation spaces at the University, visit https://www.ohio.edu/diversity/womens-center/lactation-rooms.

For more information, contact the Women’s Center at 740-593-9625. If you need assistance in ensuring that you have access to a lactation room, you should contact your Human Resources representative if you are a University employee (including student employees), or University Equity and Civil Rights Compliance if you are a student.