Nov. 19, 2018 — Nursing mothers now have two new places to conveniently and privately pump breast milk or breastfeed in our health science center complex. In early November, UF installed two additional modular “lactation pods,” made by Mamava™: one in the Communicore Building (near the second-floor elevators) and one in the Health Professions, Nursing & Pharmacy, or HPNP, Building (on the second floor). The latter is also accessible for people with disabilities.

This follows the success of our first Mamava™ lactation pod, introduced last fall in the public hallway near the first-floor outpatient pharmacy, between the UF Health Shands Hospital Atrium and the UF College of Dentistry/west entrance.

“Mothers who are on the go — such as our faculty, staff, residents and students — have even more resources where they can privately pump breast milk or feed an infant,” said Dennis Hines, UF Health Medical and Health Administration associate director. “They are also available for visitors to these buildings. We’re pleased to offer nursing mothers discreet and welcoming choices to support them where they work and go to school.”

UF Business Affairs purchased the mobile units from Mamava for about $15,000 each. The manufacturer designs the pods “to reach mamas where they travel, receive health care, work, shop and play.” The pods are now popular in high-traffic areas such as airports, shopping centers and hospitals.

Our pods require the user to use the free Mamava mobile app, which shows where pods are located and is used to unlock the pod door when it’s unoccupied. Each well-lit unit is spacious and comfortable, with two molded plastic benches, a shelf, an electrical outlet and a USB port.

Hines added, “There was a great response to our first pod, and use of the app helped us track usage and make the case to purchase more units. These are great options to have in our busy academic health center that complement existing lactation resources.”

Did you know?

UF Health has the community’s only official “Baby-Friendly” hospital: UF Health Shands Hospital is designated by Baby-Friendly USA.

Lactation locations:

UF Health is committed to supporting, protecting and promoting breastfeeding. Our lactation resources available to faculty, staff, residents, outpatients, visitors and students at our Archer Road facilities now include:

• UF Health Shands Hospital, First Floor (near Outpatient Pharmacy and Outpatient Lab)
• UF Health Shands Hospital, Seventh Floor, Room 7502 (five pumping stations)
• UF Health Shands Cancer Hospital, Sixth Floor, Room 6012 (two pumping stations)
• UF Health Heart & Vascular and UF Health Neuromedicine hospitals, Fourth Floor, Rooms 4537 and 4539 (one individual pumping station in each room)
• Communicore Building, Second Floor (near the elevators)
• PHHP Building, Second Floor (in the lobby area between the College of Public Health and Health Professions and the College of Nursing sections). This Pod is an ADA-accessible unit to accommodate people with disabilities.

Note: Our inpatients’ needs are accommodated by lactation resources on hospital units.