Hooray For Boobies!

By: Nikita Blue -- All over the Auraria campus, female breasts have been freed from bondage. But before you break out the video camera and Mardi Gras beads, there’s nothing to see here. In fact, privacy is one of the main objectives behind the two private lactation spaces available on campus. The newer space is located in Room 2088 of the new Science Building and the other can be found at the Institute for Women’s Studies and Services at 1033 9th Street Park.
These changes to campus configuration have been brought about after a lot of hard work and persistence from The University of Colorado Denver Women’s Issues Committee. The lack of options for nursing mothers on campus has forced this issue to the forefront. According to Dr. Elizabeth Allen, Assistant Professor at UCD and member of the UCD Women’s Issues Committee, many women have been forced into the unfair position of choosing between nursing their children and obtaining an education. Still others have attempted to express their milk inside of a bathroom stall, an environment which is neither sanitary nor relaxing. This modification to campus is a welcome alternative and it was implemented in accordance with the Colorado Labor Board law which states that employers must provide time and space for milk expression.  (According to the law, the provided space for milk expression must be something “other than a toilet stall.”)
The new lactation area in the Science Building includes chairs, sinks, outlets and privacy. There are not any “public pumps,” but there is peace and quiet. The facilities are available to almost anyone who wishes to utilize them – students, staff, faculty and visitors are equally eligible to express themselves. Walk-ins are accepted at the Institute, but in order to access the accommodations at the Science Building, a key from the Institute is required; however, once a key is checked out, it is good for an entire semester.
The designated space for milk expression at the Institute for Women’s Studies and Services is actually the library on the first floor. Women can shut and lock the door, sit on a comfortable couch and express themselves behind an additional screen. Mothers need not fear burglary of their breast-milk either; the Institute is protective of this biological gold and provides reliable security for those who need to drain and dash. Refrigeration is available at the Institute as well. This is the third year that the library has been available for use on campus, but surprisingly few students are aware of its existence.
According to Kelly Camden, certified Doula and contributor to www.Breastfeed.com, breastfed babies usually need to eat every 2-3 hours. A nursing mother’s breasts become tender when she doesn’t nurse; if no expression occurs for a long period of time, it can be very painful. A student or working mother faces enormous challenges when she chooses to breastfeed her child, but many women have decided to take the challenge head-on anyway. Auraria Campus holds out a helping hand to these tenacious and perseverant individuals.
Many campuses refuse to offer this option to their students; much of the reason has to do with the hush-hush nature of the topic. It’s a hot button issue and even embarrassing for some to discuss. Many people immediately become uncomfortable when the topic is raised – and if you can’t talk about a situation, you can’t change it.
Joanna Snawder, Associate Director at the Women’s Institute, illustrated the absurdity of the breastfeeding taboo in her interview with the Campus Connection:
“To me, it’s simple biology,” she ascertained; “If a cat has kittens, we don’t question that she’s going to nurse those kittens. If a dog has puppies, we don’t try to hide her nipples and take the babies away from her and bottle-feed them… we don’t question it, right? Because that’s the nutrient source that mother nature has intended.”
On campus, reactions to the lactation stations have been mixed. Most students are oblivious that these facilities exist. Seth Kurt-Mason, whose wife is attending a test-prep course for engineering here at Auraria, was startled to discover that lactation spaces existed on campus. He revealed, “I didn’t realize that those things existed around public places. I thought that typically people just went to public restrooms to do that.” Leslie Allan, a student worker at the Auraria Campus Bookstore was also unaware of the available resources. She believes that there ought to be even more accessible amenities for breastfeeding mothers. When informed about the updates to campus infrastructure, she declared, “I think there should be more. In each building, there should be at least one place to go.”

Photo Courtesy of Reese Samuel's Blog

Nikita Blue

Email: nikitablue23@hotmail.com