There Has Got to Be a Better Way to Do This: Improving Pumping at Work With Patrice Meagher, MilkMate
Patrice Meagher, the creator of MilkMate, joins Julia to address the challenge new mothers face in the workplace: the lack of a safe and private environment for breastfeeding. Patrice shares her journey as a working mom of four, when unsuitable pumping spaces at work forced her to end her breastfeeding journey prematurely. We discuss the politics of feeding your child, how time inefficient and emotionally draining pumping can be, the unique challenges of pumping at work and so much more.
Are you struggling with finding a suitable place to breastfeed at work? Are you spending too much time washing pump parts and carrying supplies back and forth, affecting your productivity? MilkMate offers a groundbreaking solution for working mothers who need to pump at work. Patrice educates employers and emphasizes providing a conducive space for lactating employees. If this topic resonates with you, take advantage of this informative episode of Stork'd and share it with a friend.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[2:51] Patrice shares her professional journey and how the difficulties of breastfeeding her child at work formed the concept of MilkMates
[7:10] Patrice shares her breastfeeding journey with her four children
[10:08] Patrice discusses the tools involved in breastfeeding and other things a new mom may not know
[15:50] Discussion of MilkMate’s service, the process and the benefit to the mom and the employer
[20:18] The importance of explaining to an employer what is involved in breastfeeding so that they understand the need for a private, stocked space
[24:25] Patrice discusses what people don’t know about breastfeeding
[28:03] What Patrice desires for the future of breastfeeding
[31:42] Patrice shares what family means to her
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Many new moms feel pressure to breastfeed, but a lack of comfortable and private spaces at work can make it a real challenge. Some moms leave the workforce because they have to choose between working and breastfeeding.
Don’t get discouraged or down on yourself if breastfeeding doesn’t work for you. It is difficult, expensive and time-consuming. Don’t let social media force you into something you don’t want.
MilkMate is a service that allows working moms to continue working safely and privately while breastfeeding their babies.
RESOURCE LINKS:
BIOGRAPHY:
MilkMate’s Founder and CEO, Patrice Meagher, created MilkMate out of her own lived experience, becoming a mom to her four children while also building her career as a high-powered commercial real estate executive. Her mission in creating MilkMate is simple: She wants to support and empower working moms everywhere – and it starts with her turnkey breast pumping solution purpose-built for workplace wellness rooms.
During her time representing landlords throughout Manhattan, Patrice experienced the rise of health and wellness initiatives in the workplace and began helping employers and landlords design wellness areas to comply with new laws requiring dedicated space for breast pumping. All the while, she chose to breastfeed her four children and continued to do so even after she returned to work from maternity leave. It didn’t take her long to realize that the process surrounding breast pumping at work was inefficient and inconvenient. She knew there had to be a better way.
In 2020, Patrice left her commercial real estate job to start MilkMate so that no mother would ever have to choose between her family and career due to the challenges of breast pumping in the place of work.
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