Walmart has announced it is adding more breastfeeding pods in its stores.
The retailer says it plans to install Mamava lactation suites in more than 100 stores this year.
The pods offer freestanding spaces for women to breastfeed or pump. They are free to use and can be accessed through an app, which opens the pods. It also allows moms to control lighting and airflow and listen to “soothing sounds,” according to a press release.
“We started Mamava to ensure that every breastfeeding mother could choose whether or not to breastfeed, so we set out to remove all barriers to making that choice,” Sascha Mayer, Mamava’s CEO and co-founder, said in a statement. “Walmart’s commitment to supporting breastfeeding associates and community members with Mamava pods is a huge leap forward for inclusivity and normalizing breastfeeding culture.”
Walmart said it’s the first retailer to install the pods in a store setting.
The company introduced the pods in three stores last year after an associate and new mom saw them while traveling and brought the idea to Walmart.
“When I discovered and used the Mamava pod that first time, it was a game-changer for me,” said Walmart associate Tennille Webb, “and I knew it would be a great option that gives my fellow Walmart associates and our customers another choice in their breastfeeding journey.”