BENTONVILLE, Ark. (KFSM) — Walmart is helping pave the way for breastfeeding mothers.
Tennille Web, a Walmart employee, and mother, says after her son was born and she returned to work in 2018, she wanted to continue breastfeeding. Meaning, she would have to pump while traveling for work. That’s when she discovered the Mamava pod.
“I saw the Mamava pod in the Atlanta airport and I went inside, and I used it and I thought it was really cool. I thought it would be a good idea to bring back to the company. So we could implement it for our associates and customers in the store," Webb said.
Mom’s on-the-go sometimes face challenges when they need to pump or breastfeed their babies.
“I would use the dressing rooms sometimes when I was at a store, or just go to my car and nurse in the car - which in the summer that’s no fun," Lisa Sawyer, mom.
The Mamava pod provides a private, clean, and comfortable space for moms to breastfeed or pump breast milk.
The pod is accessed through an app you download for free.
“One of the best features is the security of it. So, by downloading the app it kind of creates a barrier from other folks who may be trying to access the pod who don’t actually need it," Webb said.
The app allows you to find the location of a pod, and once inside the store, you unlock it with the app.
After the door is locked, you can control the lights, fan, and music with your phone.
Local moms say now that they know the Mamava pod exists they plan to use them and hope Walmart will put them in stores nationwide.
"If we could find just a Walmart to quickly run into and be able to nurse in a quiet location that would be amazing," Jessie Garthoff, mom said.
The Mamava pod is not new; the company has been around for several years.
There are more than 900 pods across the U.S. and Canada.
This is the first time it will be available in a retail space.
Walmart is testing out the pods in three stores, in Bentonville, Arkansas, Williston, Vermont, and Gilbert, Arizona.