We are thrilled to announce that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Midwest Regional Office, located in Bloomington, Minn., has been named a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace by the Minnesota Department of Health for our contributions to the health of our working mothers and their babies through on-site education and the construction of a new lactation room. We are proud to be the first federal office in the state to receive this designation.
“The Service is committed to diversity and inclusion in our ranks,” said acting Midwest Regional Director, Charlie Wooley. “When it was brought to my attention that we could better accommodate the needs of working mothers in our office through the creation of a lactation room, it was an easy decision and we moved to make it happen immediately.”
The new lactation room was designed by a small group of mothers in the office who carefully crafted a space where nursing employees could comfortably express milk. Important elements include its central location in the office, a privacy lock on the door, a refrigerator designated for breast milk storage, and a private sink for cleaning breast pump parts. A mirror, coat hooks, dimmable light, and wildlife inspired artwork are additional details that turn the room into a haven for mothers juggling the demands of work with the nutritional and health needs of their children. In celebration of the room’s completion, a presenter from the Minnesota Department of Health ran a training on the rights of breastfeeding employees and the benefits of creating work environments that support breastfeeding employees.
We thank the Minnesota Department of Health for running the Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace recognition program, which was created and is supported by the state Women, Infants and Children program and the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership.
