Harris County courts to install breastfeeding pods
Three new pods are coming to Harris County courts, allowing visiting and working mothers a safe, private space to breastfeed and pump milk for their newborns.
The three breastfeeding pods were donated by Houston Bar Association and funded by grants from the Houston Bar Foundation and the Texas Bar Foundation. The first pod was installed at the Harris County Civil Courthouse, with a ribboncutting held May 8. The pods will all be installed in Harris County Court locations.
The pods were approved for donation by Harris County Commissioners Court unanimously, including Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones, a mother of three daughters.
“As mothers, our babies usually go with us wherever we go regardless if it’s convenient or not,” Briones said in a release. “These pods make it easier for anyone who is nursing and is visiting the courthouse to be able to feed their child.”
Briones also helped update
Harris County policies and procedures for mothers, requiring the county to provide private pump spaces with a sink, storage for breast milk and a work area. Previously, employees were given 20 minute lactation breaks. Now, mothers will receive two to three lactation breaks during the first year of their child’s birth.
“We will continue building on this progress within Harris County buildings,” Briones said. “We encourage all Harris County-based employers to join us by making their workplaces friendly to working parents.”