Why We Need to Make Work Better for Moms
By Sascha Mayer, Mamava Cofounder + Chief Experience Officer
As the CEO of Mamava—the first freestanding lactation pod company—I dream of a day when all breastfeeding moms have the support they need, wherever they go. So when Medela, the world expert in breast pumps and human milk, approached us about working together to help employers help their breastfeeding employees, we recognized an opportunity to make a big difference for more moms when—and where—they need it most: at work.
When I was a breastfeeding mom, I traveled a lot for work. But there weren't any places to pump, so I pumped in bathrooms, borrowed offices, and cars. My experience with uncomfortable and unsanitary pumping spaces was the catalyst to creating Mamava with my cofounder and fellow working mom, Christine Dodson.
We knew from personal experience that moms needed more workplace support to keep breastfeeding. And we knew that moms deserved better lactation spaces both at work, and in the world. Our lactation pods give moms clean and private spaces to pump, and they make it easy for companies to support their employees and guests with turnkey amenities. Combining our expertise in lactation space design with Medela’s best in class breast pumps and accessories, 24/7 lactation telehealth from pregnancy through baby’s first year, and breast milk shipping for traveling moms enables us to further our mission to change the culture of breastfeeding.
Our new offering is called Kin - Healthy Returns for New Moms – a customizable, single-source solution for employers. This kind of focused attention on supporting working families didn’t exist ten years ago. I’m so happy to be able to help businesses support the next generation of moms in their personal and professional lives.