Need to nurse your child at Walmart? Private breastfeeding pods heading to some stores

Walmart is installing private pods for nursing parents in 100 stores across the country, the company says.

The retailer is partnering with lactation suite company Mamava to provide shoppers and store associates with a private place to breastfeed or pump, Walmart said in a news release.

Walmart will be the first retailer to install Mamava lactation suites in its stores.

The pods can be located and unlocked through the free Mamava app, which allows parents to adjust the pod’s lighting and airflow to their liking.

Parents can also leave each other encouraging notes through the app.

“Walmart’s commitment to supporting breastfeeding associates and community members with Mamava pods is a huge leap forward for inclusivity and normalizing breastfeeding culture,” Mamava CEO Sascha Mayer said.

Walmart currently has “mothers’ rooms” in hundreds of stores and the pods are intended for stores without such rooms.

The lactation pods will be installed across 35 states by the end of the year, with several stores in Texas, Illinois and Florida slated to receive the suites.

You can view the full list of stores here.

The expansion comes after a pilot in three Walmart stores in 2019.