Lactation Support
Recognizing the importance and benefits of breastfeeding for working parents and their infants, and in the interest of promoting a family-friendly work environment, Harvard provides more than 50 formal lactation rooms across the University. Any Harvard-affiliated nursing parent, including faculty, staff, students, and spouses/partners who are breastfeeding, can register to use a Harvard lactation room. For those without physical HUID cards, a smaller subset of campus lactation rooms will be available.
All University-sponsored rooms have a hospital-grade Medela Symphony pump, for which you will need to provide your own Medela accessory kit. Accessory kits can be purchased online or from local pharmacies.
Registration
Register using buttons below (at least two business days ahead of first anticipated use date if possible).
Register Once, Campus-wide
To receive access to lactation room locations across three campuses, simply complete a registration form below. You will receive an automated confirmation email followed by a personalized instruction email. Your access and Roombook account will be set up on the same business day, when possible. Please provide as much advance notice as possible.
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Registration gives you:
- Access: to the 50+ rooms across three campuses (see the lactation map linked below and this room list pdf);
- Activation: HUID card clearance to the lactation rooms including any entryway doors, elevators, stairwells, etc., to get you to the room;
- Availability and Reservations: the private lactation room template is added to your existing (or newly-created) Roombook account where you can check room availability and reserve your 30-minute slot (recurring if needed). The Roombook system includes any room-specific amenities and pincode information (for those doors with pinlocks).
See Lactation Room Locations on a Map
Click on the map image to view the interactive map and see the locations of formal lactation rooms across campus. Narrow your search by campus.
Click on the highlighted buildings for pop-ups of building and room amenity information.
Provide Feedback on Lactation Rooms
Please help us improve the lactation room system. Click on the feedback link below to let us know what's working and what needs attention in lactation rooms around campus.
Resources
- Nursing Parents in the Workplace: Harvard Guidelines and Policies
- Locations: Current lactation room list (pdf) of the 50+ formal lactation rooms at Harvard
- Lactation Room Consultation: Departments interested in enhancing a lactation room or developing a new one should contact the Office of Work/Life for room guideline information, best practices, and amenities standards.
About the Lactation Room Project
Supported by the President's Administrative Innovation Fund (PAIF) 2019-2020
Acting on feedback from nursing parents that the system of lactation rooms around campus was fragmented and outdated, the University committed to improving the registration, reservation, and access processes. This enhanced system better supports faculty, students, and staff who are trying to balance their work and their parenting needs as their schedule takes them around campus.
Please visit the PAIF site to learn more about this project.
Parenting Supports
To help you connect with other parents we suggest:
- Harvard Neighbors hosts a range of interest groups for faculty and staff and their families, including an infant-toddler playgroup.
- Harvard Students Spouses and Partners Association Open to spouses and partners of all Harvard students.
- Graduate Students Parents List Open to students at Harvard who are parents.
New Parents - Special Support Through Harvard's Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Returning to work after having or adopting a child can be tough for all parents. Harvard's Employee Assistance Program, KGA, offers support and resources to make this transition smoother. KGA provides confidential phone counseling with licensed professionals at no cost. These professionals can help new parents dealing with various emotions and challenges. These clinicians offer information and support on issues related to:
- Postpartum depression
- Coping with the demands of work and home
- Separation concerns when returning to work
- Managing parental anxiety or guilt
- Communicating with your partner when parenting approaches differ
- Locating childcare options that work for your family
KGA offers support to you and your child from the prenatal stage through young adulthood. For more information about this program, contact the KGA at 877-EAP-HARV (877-327-4278) or visit the childcare and parenting section on their website.
