Essentia Health Debuts Mamava Suites for Breastfeeding Moms

The suites are for patients, families, and staff members

FARGO, N.D. — Essentia Health debuts its new Mamava suites, and it’s the first healthcare system in North Dakota to have it.

For breastfeeding moms, it can be stressful figuring out the next place to pump or nurse.

“Moms go everywhere, they don’t just stay home because they’ve had kids,” Danielle Ritter, Director of National Accounts at Mamava, said.

Oftentimes moms resort to wherever they can.

“Unfortunately not a whole lot has changed over the years but moms are having to pump in their cars, nurse in the restroom, which nobody wants their lunch prepared there, so why would you want to feed your baby there?” Ritter said.

That’s where the Mamava suite comes in.

The breastfeeding suites are for patients, families, and staff members of Essentia. Moms can unlock the suite with either the app or a code. The mobile pod has benches, a table, and electrical outlet for plugging in a breast pump.

Essentia has four new suites: one at the Hospital on 32nd Avenue, one at the South University clinic, and two at employee service centers.

“It’s incredible to be the first here, in the healthcare system to do that, it really shows the emphasis they’re putting on supporting their working moms and the importance that they’re saying that coming back to work, we’re going to make this a seamless transition for you,” Ritter said.

She says breastfeeding has health benefits like reducing the risk of breast cancer for moms and preventing childhood illnesses.

People on the Essentia Health Fargo Foundation also see the benefits. The funding for the suites came from the Essentia Health employee giving program.

“We’re excited. We’re a baby–friendly hospital so this was really a way for us to say we’re mama–friendly too, and we support our moms when they’re visiting us and when they’re visiting family members as well,” Sue Omdalen, Director of Development for the Essentia Health Fargo Foundation said.

The Mamava app lets moms find the closet pod based on their location.