Houston-area moms now have a more comfortable way to care for their babies while at the courthouse, Harris County has unveiled three new lactation pods for breastfeeding and pumping. The pods were provided through a joint initiative by the Houston Bar Association and funded by grants from the Houston Bar Foundation and the Texas Bar Foundation.

The first pod made its debut at the Harris County Civil Courthouse on May 8, as reported by the Houston Chronicle. Visitors and employees can expect similar facilities across other county court locations including, criminal justice court and jury assembly buildings.

Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones, who played a pivotal role in the donation, said, “As mothers, our babies usually go with us wherever we go – regardless if it’s convenient or not,” according to a statement on the Harris County website. She underscored the necessity of such amenities saying, “These pods make it easier for anyone who is nursing and is visiting the courthouse to be able to feed their child.”  Briones, a mother to three daughters, also took the lead on updating the county's policies to provide better lactation support to employees.

The new county policies are a significant upgrade from the previous standard which granted mothers 20-minute lactation breaks. Now, more than 18,700 county employees are promised two to three lactation breaks daily during their baby’s first year, the Harris County website noted. Furthermore, earmarked spaces must include a work area, a sink, and cold storage facilities for breast milk.

These upgrades surpass federal guidelines for nursing employees, set by the Break Time for Nursing Mothers law and the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act. Briones is also advocating for other local employers to make workplaces more accommodating for breastfeeding mothers, stating, “We encourage all Harris County-based employers to join us by making their workplaces friendly to working parents,”  she told the Houston Chronicle.