Lactation Rooms on the Capitol Complex
There are ten lactation rooms available for use on the Capitol Complex. Each room is equipped with a chair, sink (except Workforce Development), and a surface for equipment and educational materials.
The rooms are located at:
- Capitol
- Grimes
- Hoover (2 rooms)
- Lucas (2 rooms)
- Public Safety
- Wallace (2 rooms)
- Workforce Development
What is a lactation room?
A lactation room provides a private place where employees may nurse babies or pump breast milk to take home for later use.
Why have lactation rooms?
Lactation rooms provide support for women who choose to continue breastfeeding when they return to work.
Benefits of Breastfeeding
For Mom
- Fewer missed days of work as breastfed babies are healthier
- Lowers a mother's risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and ovarian and breast cancer
- Saves money in the family budget
For Baby
- Lowers a baby's risk for asthma, obesity, and type 1 diabetes
- Reduced incidences of ear, gastrointestinal, and respiratory infections
- Fewer allergies
- Protects against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
For the Department
- Less time off used by breastfeeding employees since their babies will be healthier
- Less staff turnover; a working mother who can successfully continue to breastfeed will be happier with her job
- Saves health care dollars as breastfeed babies have fewer doctor visits and are admitted to the hospital less often
Resources
If you are a nursing mother with questions about lactation, contact the WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator at the Iowa Department of Public Health.
Nicole Newman, RD, LD, CLC
515-322-3759
Nicole.Newman@idph.iowa.gov
Contacts for the Grimes, Hoover, Lucas and Wallace Buildings
To schedule a lactation room in the Grimes, Hoover, Lucas, or Wallace Buildings, contact DAS-HRE.
Phone: 515-281-5889
Email: custserv.hre@iowa.gov
Alternate Email: Employee.Benefits@iowa.gov
Contact for the Capitol
Meghan Nelson
515-281-5383
meghan.nelson@legis.iowa.gov
Contact for Department of Public Safety Building
515-725-6001
Contact for Ola Babcock Miller
515-281-6766
*Badge access required. Please confirm access when reserving.
Contact for Iowa Workforce Development
515-281-7023