The Cincinnati Reds made an awesome announcement yesterday: They’ve added a nursing suite to their stadium, Great American Ballpark. Upon hearing the news we had some concerns, but they didn’t last long.
The brand new, Pampers-sponsored nursing suite in Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark is roomy and homey. It’s decorated with Reds paraphernalia and pictures of young baseball fans with the Reds mascots. But, it’s more than just an adorable room on the upper levels of the stadium, it’s a comfortable retreat for nursing moms and the little ones they keep in tow.
The nursing suite has everything a breastfeeding mama could need. There’s a private bathroom, changing tables and plush chairs to offer mothers whatever amount of privacy and comfort they want. There are also plenty of convenient details most “normal” bathrooms don’t have, like microwaves, refrigeration and toys to keep older kids entertained while their mom nurses their newest siblings. And, while it wasn’t immediately obvious in the pictures, Reds officials swear there are televisions so moms don’t have to miss any of the action.
Images: Cincinnati Reds/Facebook
While the setup looks amazing and seems like a really kind gesture, we had one big concern: Does this mean moms can’t nurse in the stadium? A special room for moms who crave privacy while feeding their infants is a truly welcomed resource within the stadium. However, nursing moms seem to be attacked constantly about nursing their babes in public. We had to wonder if this suite was just a way for stadium officials to hide away moms who are breastfeeding. From the sound of it, though, women will still be allowed to nurse in their seats, should they not want to venture to the suite. So, it sounds like a win-win.
So far, no other stadium in the country has offered up any similar arrangements for nursing moms. While the Reds are still six months out from the possibility of taking home the World Series, they’ve already won the race to take care of moms.
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