Mothers who are breastfeeding may have difficulty while traveling. Some people may complain when a mom breastfeeds her child in public. Many mothers don’t want to breastfeed their baby in a public bathroom. The Friendly Airports for Mothers (FAM) Act requires airports to provide lactation rooms.
The FAM Act was proposed by Senator Tammy Duckworth (Democrat – Illinois). It was included in the 2018 reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAM Act was co-sponsored by Senator Deb Fischer (Republican – Nebraska) and Senator Claire McCaskill (Democrat – Missouri).
The FAM Act requires all large and medium sized airports to provide a clean, private, non-bathroom space in each terminal for the expression of breast milk. The space must be accessible to persons with disabilities, available in each terminal building after the security checkpoint, and include a place to sit, a table or other flat surface, and an electrical outlet.
The bill also makes grants available to airports to help them make these critical renovations. In addition, the FAM Act requires airports to provide a baby changing table in one men’s and one women’s restroom in each passenger terminal building.
President Trump signed the reauthorization of the FAA on October 5, 2018. This means the FAM Act has been made into law. It requires airports to make the necessary changes the law requires by October 1, 2020. The result will be extremely helpful to nursing mothers – and their babies.
The March of Dimes points out that breast milk is the best food for a baby during the first years of life. It helps the baby grow healthy and strong. Breast milk can also help protect babies from many illnesses.
The March of Dimes recommends that mothers breastfeed their babies for at least six months. The FAM Act will help breastfeeding mothers to do that while they are traveling.
Related articles at Families.com:
* AAP: Breastfeeding for 2 Months Lowers Risk of SIDS
* Changing Stations are Coming to Men’s Bathrooms