By: Stefany Olivas, Business Manager
Private rooms provided for breastfeeding mothers
Lactation station services have been expanded to more CNM campuses for students, faculty, and staff who need to pump breast milk, said Student Health Center Director Marti Brittenham.
Private rooms can be reserved at no cost with no requirements or paperwork in order to pump milk, said Brittenham.
“Mothers bring in their own pumps and lock the door so they don’t get interrupted. They can sit comfortably, read some magazines and then leave,” said Brittenham.
Achievement Coach Chioma Heim said she realized how desperately CNM needed to raise awareness about lactation stations when she returned from maternity leave and had difficulty finding a place to pump in private.
“I didn’t know where to go. My office is all glass and other offices still had the little sliver of window on them I would try to cover,” said Heim.
It is important for the people to know that there are places to go in order to pump breast milk, she said.
“Women need to be able to pump and feed their kids. It’s uncomfortable to be in a place feeling like you can’t properly provide for your family. I knew I wasn’t the only person who needed to pump,” said Heim.
Lactation stations have been operating informally for years on campus, but this is first time intentional plans were made to expand to multiple campuses, said Multi Campus Director Jennifer Cornish
She said she has been working with Student Success Team Leaders the past six months to make the stations more available. A station in the Jeannette Stromberg building is the only one that is not open yet and stations at Rio Rancho and ATC are planned for the future, she said.
“We are committed to providing as many services as possible at each and every campus — not just at Main. We want the services wherever there are students, and in this case it is for faculty and staff too,” said Cornish.
She said she wants students to know that CNM realizes that they are more than just students attending classes.
“They are parents, they have jobs, and they take care of their family members. If you are a breast feeding mother, it is essential to have access to a private, clean space to pump. We also want to support mothers who are able to breast feed — it is good for the baby,” said Cornish.
Achievement Coach Michael Heim participated in raising awareness about the stations and said that female students, faculty and staff coming onto campus should have an area to pump comfortably.
“I never thought about it, especially as a man. They used to have to really look for places because the stations were not advertised at all. Bathrooms are an inadequate area for pumping. There are a lot of parts and things to do. Set things down and handling other things and containers with your hands; it’s not conducive,” said Heim.
CNM Connect will continue to develop and improve areas for mothers and increase resources for parents and their children, said Heim.
“I think it will provide some sort of comfort to nursing mothers. Students aren’t usually here very long, but it is especially beneficial to faculty and staff. Both of those populations will be able to feel comfortable knowing they have a spot they can go to with some real privacy,” he said.
Where to pump:
Main Campus
- Janet Stromberg Hall, Room TBA
- Student Services Center, Room 206
Montoya Campus
- Staff at front desks provide access
- I Building, Room 211, 224-5881
- G Building, Room 201, 224-5516
South Valley Campus
- SV Room 40, 224-5056
- SV Room 32
Westside Campus
- Staff at front desk provide services
- MJG Building, Room 201-C, 224-5354
