Traveling moms with and without their nursing infants face certain challenges, especially when navigating through airports. Luckily these moms get a great assist from the (FAM ACT) Friendly Airports for Mothers Act introduced by Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Representative Stephen Knight (R-CA). The Friendly Airports for Mothers (FAM) ACT aims to alleviate some of these challenges by promoting breastfeeding and providing adequate facilities for mothers and families in airports across the United States. Let's delve into what this act entails, its impact on traveling moms, and how airports are becoming more accommodating for families.
Understanding the Friendly Airports for Mothers ACT
The Friendly Airports for Mothers ACT, introduced in 2018, is a federal law that requires large and medium-sized airports in the U.S. to provide lactation rooms for nursing mothers. This legislation aims to ensure that airports offer clean, private, and accessible spaces where mothers can breastfeed or pump breast milk comfortably.
Key provisions of the FAM ACT include:
- Lactation Rooms: Airports covered by the act must provide designated lactation rooms beyond security checkpoints, ensuring that mothers can use these facilities regardless of whether they are departing, arriving, or connecting flights.
- Requirements for Facilities: The lactation rooms must be accessible to persons with disabilities, equipped with a place to sit, a flat surface for changing diapers, and an electrical outlet for breast pumps.
- Accessibility and Signage: Airports are required to clearly mark the location of lactation rooms on terminal maps and with signs throughout the airport, making it easier for mothers to find these facilities when needed.
- Reporting Requirements: The act mandates that airports submit annual reports to the Department of Transportation detailing compliance with the lactation room requirements, ensuring accountability and transparency in implementation.
Impact on Traveling Moms
For many mothers, especially those traveling alone or with young children, the availability of lactation rooms in airports can make a significant difference in their travel experience. Here's how the FAM ACT has positively impacted traveling moms:
- Privacy and Comfort: Lactation rooms provide a quiet and private space for mothers to breastfeed or pump milk, away from the hustle and bustle of airport terminals. This promotes comfort and reduces stress during travel.
- Convenience: By ensuring that lactation rooms are accessible beyond security checkpoints, the act allows mothers to take care of their breastfeeding needs without having to leave the secure area or interrupt their travel plans.
- Safety and Hygiene: The designated lactation rooms are designed to meet hygiene standards and provide a clean environment for mothers to breastfeed or express milk, ensuring the safety and well-being of both mothers and infants.
- Support for Breastfeeding: The availability of lactation rooms in airports sends a supportive message to breastfeeding mothers, encouraging them to continue breastfeeding while traveling and helping to normalize breastfeeding in public spaces.
How Airports Are Implementing the FAM ACT
Airports across the United States have been working diligently to comply with the FAM ACT and create welcoming environments for traveling families. Here are some ways airports are implementing the requirements of the act:
- Designated Lactation Rooms: Airports have designated and equipped lactation rooms with comfortable seating, electrical outlets, and diaper changing stations to accommodate the needs of nursing mothers.
- Accessibility Improvements: Ensuring that lactation rooms are accessible to all travelers, including those with disabilities, by incorporating features such as ramps, wider doorways, and appropriate signage.
- Educational Outreach: Many airports have launched educational campaigns to inform travelers about the availability and location of lactation rooms, both through their websites and terminal signage.
- Feedback and Improvement: Airports regularly gather feedback from travelers, including mothers, to improve the design and accessibility of lactation rooms and ensure they meet the needs of their users.
- Collaboration with Airlines: Some airports have partnered with airlines to provide additional support and resources for breastfeeding mothers during flights, such as allowing breast pumps as carry-on luggage and accommodating requests for breastfeeding on board.
The Future of Family-Friendly Airports
As the FAM ACT continues to be implemented and enforced, the future looks promising for traveling moms and families. Airports are increasingly recognizing the importance of providing family-friendly amenities and are investing in facilities that cater to the needs of parents with young children. Beyond lactation rooms, airports are also expanding family restrooms, play areas, and amenities that enhance the overall travel experience for families.
Tips for Traveling Moms
For mothers planning to travel with their children, here are some tips to make the most of family-friendly amenities at airports:
- Research Beforehand: Check the airport's website or contact them ahead of time to inquire about the availability and location of lactation rooms and other family-friendly amenities.
- Pack Essentials: Carry essential items such as diapers, wipes, snacks, and entertainment for your children to keep them comfortable and occupied during travel.
- Utilize Pre-Check and Early Boarding: Take advantage of TSA Pre-Check and early boarding options offered by airlines to minimize waiting times and reduce stress during the boarding process.
- Stay Hydrated and Rested: Traveling can be tiring, so make sure to stay hydrated, get enough rest, and take breaks as needed to ensure a smooth journey for you and your children.
Services like Moms Pump Here helps moms by listing family-friendly destinations and places to pump, nurse, and care for infants all over the world, including major airports. Over 200 airports from around the world have been listed and can be updated or reviewed by moms as airports add lactation spaces.
The Friendly Airports for Mothers ACT represents a significant step towards making air travel more inclusive and accommodating for mothers and families. By ensuring access to clean and private lactation rooms, the act supports breastfeeding mothers and promotes a positive travel experience for all. As airports continue to implement these requirements and expand family-friendly amenities, traveling moms can look forward to more comfortable and enjoyable journeys with their children.
People scrutinize nursing mothers or try to embarass them and make them feel as if their doing something wrong. This type of behavior can discourage a nursing mother from breastfeeding altogether. There seems to be very few accommodating areas for nursing mothers to pump their breast milk and breastfeed their babies without scrutiny. How many times have you pumped your breastmilk in a bathroom stall? Or traveled to a park, restaurant, or shopping mall to feed your baby and people gaze at you? It can be one of the most embarrassing experiences for nursing mothers.
The FAM ACT is an important step in creating more family friendly environments for traveling moms. Hopefully many other public places will follow suit and take notice. In spite of continued challenges many moms face while traveling with infants, this law isa glimmer of hope and promise for the next generations of mothers to come.
