Room will provide
privacy, comfort for mothers to nurse babies, express milk
Women's Legislative Caucus members
celebrate the blessing and opening of the new Lactation Room at the State
Capitol. (From left) Rep. Linda Ichiyama, Rep. Lauren Matsumoto, Sen. Laura H.
Thielen, Sen. Rosalyn H. Baker, Rep. Della Au Belatti, Sen. Sharon Y. Moriwaki,
Rep. Lisa Kitagawa, and Rep. Nadine K. Nakamura.
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi –The Women's
Legislative Caucus (WLC) today held a blessing and opening ceremony for the
first Lactation Room at the State Capitol. The room, located on the second
floor, will provide a comfortable, private space for mothers to nurse their
babies and express milk.
The space is comfortably furnished with a
table, chair, posters and a rug provided by the House and Senate Clerks offices
for the project.
"In the past, mothers who came to the
Capitol to talk to lawmakers, attend hearings, or testify did not have a private,
hygienic place to use a breast pump," said Representative Linda Ichiyama,
Women's Legislative Caucus Co-Convener. "This new room for mothers and
families removes a barrier to open participation in government. I'm grateful it
all came together before the start of the next legislative session."
"We have wanted to make this room
available for a couple years and needed to find the right space," said
Senator Rosalyn H. Baker, Co-Convener of the WLC. "The Lactation Room will
allow mothers who are breastfeeding to feel safe and comfortable when they
visit the Capitol."
Leʻa Minton, Board President of
Breastfeeding Hawaiʻi, said the lactation room is critical for allowing mothers
to take part in the legislative process.
"Lactation rooms are opening in
government building across the country," Minton said. "Mothers have
the right to breastfeed or express milk and still take part in the legislative
process. We want to thank the Women's Legislative Caucus for making this
happen."
