Breastfeeding in public? How lactation pods are transforming motherhood

A mother breastfeeding her child. (Courtesy/GettyImages)

Tell us about Mummy-toto Lactation Suites

It is a product invented by Mother Goose Kenya, a community-based organisation (CBO) that focuses on helping communities enhance the quality of child-care.

Invented in 2018, the mobile pods are used by breastfeeding mothers who want to breastfeed their children or express milk privately in public areas or workplaces.

The suite is self-contained, portable, quick to assemble and can be installed conveniently at the client’s location. The pod is furnished with chairs, refrigerators and other related items, such as pumps. The suites, which are detachable are easy to assemble and can be placed along corridors, waiting areas, behind doors and even staircases.

Who are your target clients?

We have a range of clients, including corporates, communities, county governments, real estate developers, universities and colleges, daycare centres, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), among other businesses, which serve young children.

What inspired this project?

As a mother, I understand how difficult it can be to juggle between executing your work responsibilities and attending to the needs of your child. While stay-at-home mothers may find it easy to breastfeed their babies, working mothers are restricted to only three months of exclusive breastfeeding or resolve to milk harvesting by breast pumps and storing in bottles for the baby or use formula and in many cases, early debut of other food substances, which has proven to be expensive. With lactation pods, mothers are able to save the cost of buying formula for their children. Introducing weaning too early, can also be harmful to a child’s health. For this reason, I figured out a way we can make and customise lactation suites to give mothers a humble time to breast their children away from home.

Tell us about the different specifications of breastfeeding suites available at Mummy-toto.

We have the Standard Model Lactation Pod, which goes for Sh295,000 exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT). They are meant for public spaces, such as shopping malls, waiting bays in hospitals, among other public spaces. The model has easy-to-clean interior surfaces, raised stainless steel bottoms to protect the unit from water damage, among other hazards and dual electrical sockets, natural air ventilation, lighting for night time use, mirror, cushioned seating area, table, storage shelves, among others.

Then we have the Fridge model, which in addition to all of the features of Standard Model also comes with a compact refrigerator to store expressed milk. It has Lockable cabinet. It is designed for the workplace, where workers are able to pump and put the milk in the fridge for later use at home. The price for this model is Sh335,000 without VAT.

The last model is Premium Model, which is similar to the Fridge model, but with added features, such as a sink with running water. It comes also with music, pumping machine, a tack board to post literature and helpful resources, among others. The pod can be customised according to the clients’ needs.

How have Kenyan workplaces received this innovation?

For the six years we have been in production, it has been a very positive experience to see clients from various companies seeking our services.

Our client pool has expanded to include NGOs. Many of the companies approaching us want their employees to experience a friendly working environment without unnecessary interruptions between breastfeeding and working.

The Kenyan law requires any organisation with more than 30 employees to establish a lactation area for breastfeeding mothers, equipped with a storage refrigerator, changing area for the baby, and a comfortable chair.  

Interestingly, many small and medium sized organisations are yet to implement this policy.

Shopping malls and bus stations, among other business centres haven’t done much about providing safe and private spaces for mothers to breasfeed their children or pump milk.

These entities need to be sensitised to embrace the portable breastfeeding rooms in their respective workplaces.

Do you make and assemble the products yourself or import?

We make the products ourselves. We have a factory in Langu Metropolitan area in Kajiado County.