Because nursing moms don’t want to miss a home run, either: As of this month, breastfeeding mothers visiting Nationals Park can feed their babies in the park’s new Lansinoh Nursing Lounge, a dedicated space outfitted with gliders, changing stations, and, of course, TVs tuned into the game.
The lounge is a far cry from the park’s former makeshift accommodations—previously, nursing moms could take their pick between family restrooms or a conference room described as “stuffy” and lacking in privacy. The new lounge got a boost from a Change.org petition launched in April by Arlington mother Katie Ray, who found herself ushered to the conference room to nurse her baby while attending a game. Ray took to the site to advocate for an upgrade, calling for the team to create a more appropriate space for moms to breastfeed and care for their babies. Within 24 hours, the petition had garnered more than 300 signatures—and several hundred later, the team’s operations team met with Ray and another local mom to discuss plans for a family-focused room.
The ballpark’s nursing lounge, which is located right off the first base line near seating section 22, became a reality on August 6. The room is sponsored by Lansinoh, an Alexandria-based company that specializes in breastfeeding supplies, and also includes pump-friendly outlets near each glider, a sink and refrigerator, and a toddler play area.
The Nats follow on the heels of the Cincinnati Reds, who unveiled a deluxe nursing suite at the team’s Great American Ball Park at the start of this year’s season.
