SELCA would like to share this story from the Office of Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor.
When a group of nursing mothers who work at the State Capitol approached Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, they shared a common concern. Many of them lacked access to private offices and were resorting to public restrooms to pump their breast milk. They shared their stories of sitting on the floor in public bathrooms, stretching cords to reach the few available electrical outlets, and struggling to modestly and comfortably pump multiple times each workday.
The Lt. Governor, a husband and father of three, committed to them to find a resolution. He instructed his staff to explore solutions and after developing a number of options, they settled on a private room just a few doors from the State Senate Chamber. In a room adjoining the office of the Senate Staffing Director, Stacy Peery, mothers would have access to privacy, electrical outlets, refrigeration, and a convenient, dedicated space solely for nursing mothers.
“The idea of mothers resorting to sitting on a public restroom floor was unacceptable to me,” said Lt. Governor Cagle. “I applaud the work of the Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition to raise awareness of this issue and to ensure that the needs of breastfeeding mothers are understood and appreciated throughout our state. It’s incumbent upon all of us to foster a culture where motherhood and breastfeeding are respected, and I was happy to play a small part in ensuring access to appropriate facilities here at our State Capitol.”
