From center, David L. Reich, MD, and Lisa M. Satlin, MD
Mount Sinai recently celebrated the grand opening of a newly renovated Lactation Room in the Jo Carol and Ronald S. Lauder Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Kravis Children’s Hospital. The private space, away from the bedside, is designed with the comfort and needs of lactating parents in mind. The hospital celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking a significant step forward in supporting NICU families.
“Breastfeeding can be a challenging journey for any parent, and even more so when a baby is in the NICU,” says Megan Clampet, MSN, RNC-MNN, NICU Nurse Manager. “A calm and quiet space for pumping is essential to ensuring breastfeeding parents have the support they need to provide milk for their babies.”
The renovation was made possible by the support of a grateful family of two NICU graduates. Their kindness stems from a deeply personal place, as they wished to give back to other NICU families and to the dedicated Mount Sinai NICU team, who provided exceptional care for their twins.
“The generosity of our donors will go a long way in improving the experience for our NICU families. Any and every way we can lessen the burden during such a stressful time has the potential to make a huge difference for parents, and we are incredibly grateful for the generosity that made this new lactation room possible,” says Courtney Juliano, MD, System Chief, Newborn Medicine. “We know the space will be an invaluable resource for our NICU parents,” she says, “Empowering them to continue their breastfeeding journey with comfort, privacy, and peace of mind.”
The serene and fully equipped lactation room offers a quiet escape for parents to privately pump breast milk away from the bedside. Every detail has been carefully considered to enhance comfort and privacy, with a design informed by input from prior parents with firsthand pumping experience.
The NICU Lactation Room features:
- Private pumping pods ensure a tranquil and personal environment for each parent.
- Comfortable chairs allow parents to relax and focus on pumping.
- Mobile device holders enable parents to read, watch, or listen to their favorite media while keeping their hands-free for pumping-related tasks.
- A water cooler provides essential rehydration during pumping sessions.
- A sink and microwave provide convenient access for cleaning and sterilizing pumping parts.
Mobile device holder
Each year, approximately 1,000 NICU parents utilize this space, which is more than just a place to pump. For parents who choose to breastfeed, it is a place to take a necessary break from the bedside, while continuing to support their baby’s health and development. With the recent renovations, this space truly provides a peaceful reprieve.
This renovation is a major step forward in the Kravis Children’s Hospital plan to revolutionize children’s health—both in how and where we treat our young patients. Right now, we are seizing the moment to create a leading-edge environment of care that is centered on parents and children in a way that has never been seen before in the metropolitan area. Having listened to our community of families and caregivers, this forward-looking vision calls for a complete transformation of the Hospital that will welcome our youngest patients into a fully supportive and family-friendly world.
To learn more or to support children and families at Mount Sinai, please contact Jennifer Cole, Senior Director of Development, at jennifer.cole@mountsinai.org. Together, we can bring lifelong health and wellness to countless children throughout the region while developing innovative research to help babies, children, and adolescents worldwide.