As a music teacher, Charissa Duncanson was accustomed to traveling around the country, sharing lessons and ideas about music education with her peers. But after having a baby in 2021, she fretted about how she would stick to a pumping schedule while on the road.
Duncanson came to rely on Mamava lactation pods, which are scattered across airports and private workspaces in every state. “It was just a huge relief,” she says. “I could just put everything down and not worry about anybody seeing me or judging me. I could just do what I needed to do and truly just relax and have some privacy. It was really good for my mental health.”
The pods were also a stark contrast to her experience pumping at work, a task that was further complicated by the fact that she had an oversupply of breast milk. At two different school districts, Duncanson was forced to duck into closets during her lunch break to pump. “It was really uncomfortable,” she says. “I was just so worried that I would be exposed.”
When Sascha Mayer, the cofounder and chief experience officer of Mamava, first came up with the concept of a freestanding lactation pod a decade ago, she envisioned it would take up residence in public spaces. And while Mamava’s pods can now be found in airports and stadiums—serving Duncanson and other nursing parents—much of the company’s recent growth has been fueled by adoption across all kinds of workplaces, from public schools to manufacturing facilities.
Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the final deadline, June 7.
Sign up for Brands That Matter notifications here.
