Lactation/Wellness Room Design Lactation Room Design

1 Best Practices page 1 of 2. Lactation /Wellness Room Design Lactation Room Design The AIAC ontributed collects andby disseminates Best Practices as a service to AIA members without endorsement or recommendation. Appropriate Liz York, AIA. use of the information provided is the responsibility of the reader. The AIA collects and disseminates Best Practices as a service to AIA members without endorsement or recommendation. SUMMARY. Appropriate use of the information provided is the responsibility of the reader. to achieve auditory comfort in and around the space. important Mothers returning to the workplace after childbirth face Walls, doors, and locks must be substantial and provide a good SUMMARY.

2 Challenges to express medically beneficial breastmilk achieve sense ofauditory comfort security. in and around Particularly the access in public space. Walls, facilities, such doors, and locks must be substantial and provide a good Mothers while returning tothe also reentering the workforce. workplace after childbirththat Companies as airports, conference centers, libraries, museums, college sense of security. are incredibly provide lactationdriven rooms to in provide for their new the workplace babies help these campuses, shopping malls, and hotels, nursing mothers need a but also to be productive members of the workforce employees achieve both of these goals. Public facilities . calm environment Lactation rooms shouldto breastfeed provide, attheir babies and a minimum, a secure space a lockable Companies that provide Lactation rooms in the increasingly provide Lactation and Mothers' rooms for door.

3 Wherea work surface and such their belongings, chair;asa asmall utility-type stroller, sink;. can be accommodated. workplace help these employees achieve both of storage for cleaning supplies and paper towels; adequate nursing due to growing demand. Following the Design these goals. Following the Design guidelines given HVAC service, Wellness rooms including a thermostat;. should provide, and well-placed at a minimum, a lockable door;. guidelines given here will yield a room layout that is electrical outlets. and Telephone here will yield a Lactation room that is easy to use a work surface chair; aservice small and networksink; storage for utility-type easyand to use and offers comfort and respect to mothers.

4 Offers comfort and respect to mothers. connections for the room cleaning supplies are also and paper recommended towels; adequatetoHVAC service, increase worker safety and productivity. Accessibility and well-placed electrical outlets. A refrigerator is desired in the BACKGROUND guidelines should be met for all the workplace. Accessibility guidelines shouldfeatures of the room. be met for all the The BACKGROUND. influx of women in the workplace starting in the 1960s features of the room. The sample vignettes provide the space for Size was The influx partly of womentointhe attributable thedevelopment workplace starting in the of infant formula. pumping milk as well as breastfeeding. 1960sgives Formula was partly mothersattributable of newborn to the development added freedom toofreturn infant to A minimum footprint of 7 feet by 7 feet is recommended workformula.

5 Formula gives after childbirth. mothers However, of newborn in the babies research past 50 years, added as it allows for a 5-foot radius circle with 24-inch deep RECOMMENDATIONS. counters on two walls. Other configurations such as 10. freedom findings to return to work overwhelmingly after of in favor childbirth. breast milk over formula feet by 5 feet work well, too. haveHowever, instigated in athe marked past 40increase in the number years, research findings of mothers Size choosing overwhelmingly in favor of breast milk over year to nurse their children for the first of life formula haveor A minimum footprint of 7 feet by 7 feet is recommended as it Location longer. instigated a marked increase in the number of mothers have The dramatic health benefits for infant and mother allows for a 5-foot radius circleinwith a 24-inch deep counter.

6 Mothers' rooms should be located a safe area influenced these mothers their to dedicate for long hours yeartoofpumping choosing to nurse children the first life or accessible to all. They should not be located in areaswork Other configurations such as 10 feet by 5 feet that well in and longer. storingThe breast milk when they are not with dramatic health benefits for infant and theirmother babies. offices would notand public facing be suitable facilities where for the preparation more mothers and storage of are Many have influenced these mothers to dedicate long and weeks, of these mothers return to work after just 6 to 12 likely to be breastfeeding their babies. food. and tedious they needhoursa dedicated to pumping place where they and storing breastcan milkcomfortably when and they efficiently are notcollect andbabies.

7 With their store breast Many milk in the of these workplace. mothers Privacy Location Some return to work Lactation aftermay rooms just also 6 to 12. be weeks, used forand they need wellness a purposes Each abuilding Install should deadbolt user-operated include afor minimum onebest Wellness room. that dedicated incorporate place otherwhere they can functions comfortably in addition and support. to Lactation As aare locks rule of thumb, indicator deada bolts ratio that of one roomanfor display every 100 female occupied . efficiently Design collect and considerations store breast outlined heremilk are in the workplace. primarily designed message occupantsto discourage interruptions. is recommended.

8 Wellness rooms should be located around Lactation needs, but other medical needs may also be in a safe area accessible to all. They should not be located in well served by these facilities. Sound Privacy areas that would not be suitable for the preparation and storage ROOM REQUIREMENTS Walls should reach up to the structure above to minimize of food. Several times a day, a nursing mother needs to retreat to a sound transmission over them into adjacent spaces. Install ROOM REQUIREMENTS. quiet, closed room to collect expressed milk. She needs a sound attenuation in walls to minimize sound Several times a day, a nursing mother needs a quiet, enclosed Privacy calm restful environment with all the required elements transmission.

9 Install fabric Install a user-operated panels, lock withcurtains, carpeting, an indicator or for privacy. The room to collect expressed milk. She needs a calm restful for an efficient and safe pumping session. other environment for an efficient and safe pumping session. bestsound-dampening locks include anmaterials indicatortothat minimize echoes. displays an occupied . A typical pumping session includes changing clothes, message to discourage interruptions and still allows one hand Chair A typical sittingpumping session at a desk in includes front of a pumpchanging clothes, for 15 to 30 sitting minutes, operation for exiting the room in the case of emergency. at a placing work surface Provide a task chair suitable for a workstation.

10 Seat, back, milk in in frontbottles, storage of a pump washingfor bottles 15 to 30. andminutes, pump placing armrest, lumbar, tension, and height adjustments are partsmilk andin storagethem packing bottles, away washing until thebottles and pump parts next pumping Sound Privacy and packing them away until the next pumping session, and preferable. Casters are also important to allow the user session, and redressing and returning to work. At the end Walls should ideally reach up to the structure or install sound redressing and returning to work. At the end of the session, the freedom of movement when hands are occupied with of the session, the pumped milk must be stored in a attenuation pumped milk must be stored in a refrigerator or cooler.