SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes, in partnership with Sutter Health, are supporting new mothers with a Mamava Suite, providing them with a clean and private space to nurse their infants. The suite is located at Avaya Stadium in the east concourse behind section 126.
“We strive to make Avaya Stadium comfortable and inviting for all our guests, and decided to include the Mamava Suite after we received a suggestion from a fan,” said Earthquakes Chief Operating Officer Jared Shawlee. “While we hope that mothers feel comfortable caring for their infants anywhere in Avaya Stadium, the Mamava Suite will be a great amenity for them.”
The self-contained, mobile pod is ADA compatible and comes with comfortable benches, a fold-down table, an electrical outlet for plugging in a pump and a door that can be locked for privacy. It is intended for individual use, but it can fit more than one person, including mothers with other children in tow.
“Breastfeeding is a natural way to provide valuable nutrition and bonding between a mother and her child,” said Dr. Liza Kunz, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Sutter Health’s Palo Alto Medical Foundation. “It protects a baby’s health by helping decrease such things as respiratory illnesses, ear infections and stomach viruses. We are happy to support a safe and private place for moms to breastfeed while they are enjoying soccer.”
The installation of the suite comes as part of National Breastfeeding Month. Celebrated each August, National Breastfeeding Month raises awareness of the importance and connection between breastfeeding and the health and well-being of babies.
“We’re thrilled to support breastfeeding mamas at Avaya Stadium,” said Mamava Co-founder and CEO Sascha Mayer. “We believe that all mamas deserve a clean, comfortable and dignified place to use a breast pump or breastfeed distraction-free anywhere, anytime. Mamava pods provide flexibility for facilities and easy access for moms.”
The new suite will be available for use at the next Quakes home game on Saturday, Sept. 16 against the Houston Dynamo.
About Sutter Health
Sutter Health was named one of the nation’s top five large health systems in 2016 thanks to its integrated network of physician, employee and volunteer pioneers—more than 60,000 people strong. Rooted in Sutter Health’s not-for-profit mission, these team members partner to deliver exceptional care that feels personal. From physician offices to hospitals to outpatient care centers and home services, they proudly support and learn from the more than 3 million people in their care—nearly 1 percent of the U.S. population, in one of the most diverse and innovative regions in the world. Sutter pioneers adopt new technologies, make novel discoveries and embrace creative thinking to help patients and communities achieve their best health. From its street nurse program that provides check-ups for homeless people, to telemedicine-aided specialist consultations, to walk-in care clinics, to smart glass technology, the Sutter Health team goes beyond traditional models to make care more convenient and to nurture and empower people throughout their medical journey.
For more information about the Sutter Health network visit: sutterhealth.org | facebook.com/sutterhealth | youtube.com/sutterhealth | twitter.com/sutterhealth.
About Mamava
Based in Burlington, VT, Mamava is the expert in lactation space design, thoughtfully designing solutions for breastfeeding moms on the go. With both analog and digital products, Mamava products celebrate and support the 21st century breastfeeding mama. Mamava is mama-owned, made in America, and a proud member of the B Corp community. The Mamava app, free for iOS and Android, helps moms find pumping and breastfeeding friendly locations on-the-go, unlock Mamava suites through the proprietary Mamava Smart Lock, and find useful breastfeeding content. For more information, visit www.mamava.com.
