Across Long Island

Target

Target stores all over Long Island champion mothers to feed their children however they feel comfortable, whether publicly or privately. As stores are being remodeled, Target is making sure to include comfortable nursing spaces for moms looking for a little privacy. The Target in Farmingdale for example has a family dressing room with a comfortable recliner chair and an outlet to pump. It’s larger than a regular fitting room so there’s space for other children to hang out while moms breastfeed, bottle feed or pump. 

Buy Buy Baby

Pregnant and new moms are no doubt familiar with Buy Buy Baby. In their stores in Huntington Station and Garden City you’ll find rooms for breastfeeding or pumping with amenities to make feeding and changing babies easy and comfortable. The stores' lactation rooms include an outlet, a warmer to warm baby bottles, a reclining chair and a changing station.  

Department Stores 

In many department stores on Long Island moms can visit the women’s bathroom and find adjacent luxurious and accommodating lounges. These semi-private spaces often include comfortable seats, outlets and sinks to make mid-shopping breastfeeding or pumping breaks easy. Notably, Walt Whitman Shops’ Bloomingdale's and Roosevelt Field’s Nordstrom are among the nicest. Roosevelt Field also offers a family bathroom located near the dining district that’s enhanced by a few lactation-friendly amenities. There’s a sink, changing area, outlets and lounge chair with footrest.

A Mamava pod is coming soon to the Suffolk County Family Court House in Central Islip. Photo courtesy of Mamava

Lactation Station Apps

For a map and list of all of the lactation stations in your area, download the free Mamava App or Lactation App. Mamava lists locations of their Mamava pods (a one-stop breastfeeding and pumping pod, complete with comfy chair, table and outlet) and lactation stations in your area: users can add, rate and upload photos of lactation spaces. Details about the lactation space include whether it offers outlets, locks, privacy and sinks. Lactation App describes nursing spaces in your area and allows users to rate and review the spaces. These apps are great for traveling and exploring new areas. Long Island's first public Mamava pod is coming soon to the Suffolk County Family Court House in Central Islip.

Nassau

Long Island Children’s Museum

This family-friendly museum is a comfortable space for mothers to nurse anywhere in the museum. But there is also a private space available located in the TotSpot exhibit on the first floor. 

Ikea

Breastfeeding moms can meet their baby's needs in Ikea's two Baby Rooms. There’s one on the main floor near the bathrooms and one on the second floor near the restaurant. The Baby Rooms include a classic Ikea bouncy Poang chair, a sink, diaper dispensary and changing table. However, there’s no outlet available for pumping.

County Executive Steve Bellone welcomes Suffolk County’s lactation station in the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge. Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Women’s Services

Suffolk

Government Agencies

Suffolk County is proudly one of the first government municipalities in the country to have lactation stations. Breastfeeding mothers who visit or work at a growing number of government agencies in Suffolk County will be pleased to find private and semi-private accommodating spaces to nurse, pump or feed their babies. There are lactation spaces currently in the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge, the Suffolk County Legislature Building in Smithtown and in the Suffolk County Clerk Building in Riverhead. Future plans aim to add a lactation station at the Suffolk County Department of Social Services MacArthur Building in Ronkonkoma. These stations include a cooling facility to store expressed breast milk, a small table, two comfortable seats or rockers, a changing table, paper towels, a garbage can, a microwave and a door handle which signals occupied or vacant. The Suffolk County Family Court House in Central Islip is expected to have a lactation pod installed soon. 

A vivid, hand-painted trompe l'oeil window by Splashes of Hope adorns the wall of the Mother’s Room at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma. Photo courtesy of Splashes of Hope

Long Island MacArthur Airport

This local airport offers a 12 x 12 semi-private space for moms to breastfeed, pump or bottle feed their child. Conveniently located across from Starbucks and the airport bookstore, the Mother’s Room has two rocking chairs, a changing station and outlets. Moms and children will also enjoy the beautiful hand-painted mural of a trompe l'oeil window overlooking a vivid Long Island lighthouse and ocean scene. Spearheaded by the Suffolk County Office of Women’s Services, Long Island agencies collaborated to commission local non-profit public charity Splashes of Hope to enhance the Mother’s Room with their beautiful mural. 

Additional Support

New York is at the forefront of public breastfeeding and work place breast milk expression laws. Long Island moms looking for additional support with breastfeeding and early motherhood can visit a Baby Café or contact La Leche League, available across Long Island. Suffolk County mothers can call the Office of Women’s Services bilingual Women’s Helpline 631.853.8222 Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for resources, referrals and access to supportive services. For more information about donating or receiving milk visit The New York Milk Bank.