More companies with mother’s rooms are realizing that providing small amenities to their employees will generate great rewards in employee appreciation and productivity. As companies today add benefits like complimentary meals and services for their employees, many are adding more amenities to their mother’s rooms for breastfeeding mothers. Breastfeeding moms need to stay hydrated during the day both to stay healthy and to produce breastmilk. Having beverages in the mother’s room is a great amenity for moms. Let’s look at some ways to help keep moms hydrated in the mother’s room.
Having water in a mother’s room is a simple and inexpensive amenity that can really make a difference to a thirsty mom. Have a basket of water bottles available and put a few in the fridge if space is available. Sparkling and flavored water are also popular with moms. Or have a beverage dispenser for water with ice and fruit to flavor the water. If your mother’s room has a lot of moms using the room, consider a water cooler in the room.
Teas are very popular with breastfeeding mothers, particularly those with herbs that promote lactation and milk production. Keep an electric kettle with water or a hot water dispenser so moms can have hot water handy to make tea. Teas that help moms make more breastmilk are ideal to have in a mother’s room. Traditional Medicinals makes their Mother’s Milk tea in their original and shatavari cardamom flavors. MilkMakers makes their tea in original and coconut flavor. Provide other herbal teas like raspberry, lemon, peppermint , and other teas without caffeine for those moms looking for other flavors.
Pod machines are now very popular and are small so they don’t take up too much space in a mother’s room. They are a convenient way for a mom to make a single serving size of tea or beverage almost instantly. The pods themselves now come in a variety of flavors. They are easy to store and keep in a mother’s room. You can keep them in a small bowl or basket next to the pod machine along with cups.
Juices and natural sodas in cans or single serving bottles are also convenient for a mother’s room. Avoid caffeinated drinks or sugary sodas. If your mother’s room has a space, you can put in a small fridge for beverages so they stay cold. Those that don’t require refrigeration can be kept out in small baskets or cabinets.
It’s a easy upgrade to keep your mother’s room stocked with healthy beverages. Inexpensive options include mother’s milk teas ($5.99 to $7.50 per box of 16) and plenty of water to help moms stay hydrated and provide milk for their babies. Even a few bottles of water makes a difference. It’s a small effort that can produce big results and employee appreciation. If you would like to find out more about how your company can provide this benefit, contact Healthy Horizons Corporate Lactation Services to help you add this benefit to your lactation program.