Travelling with a baby presents unique challenges, but parents may find things a bit easier in the US as a new law requires that major airports offer a lactation room.
Major airports in the US will have to offer lactation rooms. Image by JGI/Jamie Grill/Getty Images
A recently-passed bill, called the Friendly Airports for Mothers Act (FAM) of 2017, will require that there is a specific room for lactation in medium and large airports. Considering that travellers with young babies face enough stress as they head through airports and board planes, the rooms are aimed at making things a bit easier for moms who are breastfeeding.
The bill was first introduced last year, but was just signed into law this month. It requires that the rooms be clean, private, and a non-bathroom space in each of the terminals. It must also be accessible for anyone with a disability and available after the security checkpoints. The rooms must include a place to sit, a table or flat surface and an electrical outlet. In addition to the lactation rooms, it will require airports to provide a baby-changing table in one men’s and one women’s bathroom in each terminal.
Travellers inside Miami International Airport. Image by ©Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
While many airports currently meet this standard, it will ensure that the resources are available across the country. The US Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) has applauded the new law, calling it “another piece of the puzzle for comprehensive breastfeeding support in our country”.
“No one likes flight delays but for people who are lactating, extra time in the airport can mean finding a place to express milk or risking a dwindling milk supply or even infection. We look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to support breastfeeding people and families in all places and spaces,” said Mona Liza Hamlin, the chair of the USBC, in a statement.
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