Philadelphia launches app for finding public lactation spaces
Philadelphia last week launched the Lactation Spaces Finder App, a free mobile application that maps out safe, clean and accessible spaces for nursing parents on the go.
Powered by an open dataset, the app, developed by the Office of Innovation and Technology and Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, features a searchable map of 26 public lactation rooms located in public buildings, workplaces and other areas throughout the city. Each listing includes details like cleanliness, privacy, comfort features and contact info for scheduling use.
“We recognize the importance of supporting nursing parents, especially in urban environments where accessible and private spaces are often limited,” Mayor Cherelle Parker said in a press release. “The PUMP Act also provides essential protections to City employees and this tool will help make those protections a reality.”
Signed intro law by former President Joe Biden in 2022, the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act guarantees most nursing employees break time and a private, non-bathroom space to pump breast milk at work. The Philadelphia City Council passed a law in 2023 requiring city-managed properties to provide lactation spaces for employees and, where possible, the public.
“By developing this app, we are increasing transparency and enabling community partners, technologists, and advocates to enhance resources for Philadelphia families,” Melissa Scott, Philadelphia’s chief information officer, said in the press release.
The new app is similar to those launched in other large cities, such as Portland, Oregon, and New York, that aids in finding public bathrooms for a populous that spends much of the day away from home. Portland created an app to locate Portland Loo facilities, single-occupancy restrooms found in locations like city parks. New York City recently launched a Google Maps layer, promoted through the “Ur in Luck” campaign, which shows the locations of public restrooms.
