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Nursing pods coming soon to Sky Harbor

Posted at 5:51 PM, May 19, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-20 01:39:13-04

PHOENIX — Flying can be stressful at times and for new moms, the last thing you want to worry about is finding a place to feed your hungry baby.

That's why Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego is using her personal experience to make some changes at Sky Harbor International Airport.

"I was the first elected official in the City of Phoenix to give birth and I was traveling with my infant son," Gallego said. "Our flight was delayed and I needed a place to feed him."

But after already making her way through security, Gallego says she noticed the closest nursing station was outside of security.

"I exited outside of security because this was the closest nursing room," Gallego said. "When I came back the TSA security scolded me for going back and forth through security twice."

Terminal 4 currently has two nursing stations. One inside security and one outside. It's also the busiest terminal at Sky Harbor.

Gallego says that issue prompted her to make a change. She says while traveling in another city, she saw what's called "nursing pods," available for moms.

It's a 50 square foot room with a comfortable place to sit and a power source to pump. "I asked our airport, can we bring this to Phoenix?" Gallego said.

Now, Sky Harbor is doing just that. Phoenix City Council voted unanimously to spend $172,000 on six nursing pods made by the company Mamava.

They can be placed and moved throughout the airport wherever they see the greatest need. The hope, Gallego says, is to bring moms some much-needed relief.

"It's hard to travel with a baby," Gallego said. "You have a lot of things that you usually need to haul. It's a lot of stimulus for the baby. So that quiet relaxing space makes for a better travel experience."

Gallego says you will see the pods at Sky Harbor starting this fall.