The PUMP For Nursing Mothers Act was passed into US law on December 29, 2022, and this event marked a big win for women in the workplace, as the two experts today explain. To find out how the PUMP Act supports working women, I interviewed Nessel founders Stephanie Boms and Della Leapman.
Disclosure: This sponsored interview highlights ways for companies to support breastfeeding women better as they return to the workplace after giving birth.
About today’s experts from Nessel
Nessel provides private, safe, and sanitary all-in-one lactation areas and products to help women returning to work from maternity leave. Its founders are CEO Stephanie Boms and COO Della Leapman.c
This company is a trailblazer in the corporate world, helping companies to create a work culture that supports working moms by designing and building lactation stations for breastfeeding. They also craft other wellness room furniture. So, I was excited to speak with Stephanie and Della!
CEO Stephanie Boms
Stephanie Boms brings 20 years of experience to the table in branding and marketing. A highlight in her career was launching a brand that became an award-winner and spanned 16 countries and 13 languages. She has a Community Health degree from Tufts University and an MBA from Yale School of Management, with a focus on Marketing and Organizational Behavior.
COO Della Leapman
Della Leapman has training as an architect, and she has worked at the Facilities Dept for the Yale School of Medicine. A big accomplishment was being Project Manager for a leading American clothing company. At Nessel, she is part of the important goal of advocating for a more supportive workplace culture favoring lactation accommodation.
Interview with the 2 Nessel founders
While I typically interview one woman at a time, here is an exception! I interviewed both Stephanie Boms and Della Leapman about the PUMP Act.
Below, they explain why the PUMP For Nursing Mothers Act is a win for working women, how Nessel’s lactation rooms support breastfeeding employees, and much more. My first question asked the obvious, just in case any readers are unfamiliar with the legislation.
What exactly is the PUMP Act?
The passage of this PUMP Act extends protections to millions of nursing workers and continues to move the needle in the right direction. It allows breastfeeding employees to receive break time to pump, as well as a safe and private space to do so.
What does the PUMP Act signify, or what will it hopefully change for the better?
The PUMP Act is the first breastfeeding bill to receive a recorded vote in both the House and Senate. The PUMP Act is a positive step in the right direction, supporting an even greater number of breastfeeding employees in the workplace.
Our hope is that the PUMP Act further educates employers about how to support breastfeeding women and compels them to provide lactating employees the safe and supportive space they should have.
What can the Act do for women who are currently breastfeeding?
The Act will allow even more lactating employees to have a designated safe space. Every time an employer creates a safe, sanitary, and supportive lactation space where mothers and parents feel respected and valued, they not only support women who are currently breastfeeding, they create a culture of inclusivity.
In addition to the PUMP Act, what other supports might a new mom need when re-entering the workforce?
When a breastfeeding employee returns from maternity leave, it is often a very vulnerable time in her life. Not only are they now responsible for nurturing and nourishing another life, they also resume a full set of work responsibilities. Luckily, there are things employers can do to help make this moment more successful.
For example, employers can start by recognizing all women and parents have different experiences bringing children into the world. Complications can arise both during and after birth that can impact the unique needs of both an infant and a new mother.
Organizations should have specific tools in place to work with any unique situation that may arise while also establishing the foundation for proper lactation accommodations broadly. For example, to the extent the job allows, companies can offer flexibility that can ease a mother back to work.
This may allow for a better morning transition with a baby at daycare, nanny, or home care situation. It can also allow for less stress around doc appointments that may arise, which is particularly important as infants see doctors frequently.
How can Nessel help breastfeeding employees have more support?
Nessel provides everything organizations need to support women returning from maternity leave. We thoughtfully create furniture that nursing employees may need during a pumping session, but also offer custom design services for lactation accommodation in spaces that may be unique and unable to support our standard offerings.
We offer consulting services to help educate executives on the importance of lactation accommodation support, and we partner with organizations on creating lactation standards that can be implemented across locations. By offering a clean and comfortable place for breastfeeding employees to pump, organizations establish their commitment to supportive diverse and inclusive cultures.
Our goal is to support healthy communities in every way we can.
That’s such an important purpose. What has been the feedback so far to your lactation rooms?
We’ve found many of our clients see the ripple effect of creating lactation accommodations. They think they’re just supporting a breastfeeding employee, but in reality, they find they’re supporting a broader community and helping promote a culture of inclusivity.
Connect with Nessel online
CEO Stephanie Boms and COO Della Leapman explained, “we love talking to prospective clients about their needs and how we might best help them achieve their goals.” Companies can contact them directly by email at hello@nessel.com or via the Nessel website using the inquiry form here: https://www.nessel.com/order-nessel-lactation-space
Find out more about the company’s lactation furniture, consulting services, and more, on the Nessel website. Connect with them on social media, too; they are active on Instagram and Facebook.
Thank you to the founders of Nessel for taking the time to speak with me!
Top photo: Features two images courtesy of Stephanie Boms and Della Leapman.
Amazing!
It really is!