When Finney County commissioners gave the go-ahead last week to have a pair of storage rooms at the county administrative building remodeled into lactation rooms, not only was the timing right, but County Human Resources Director Darlene Lucas says it was just the right thing to do.
Commissioners on May 6 unanimously approved a work change order that added $26,429 for the development of the lactation rooms to what is now expected to be a $245,727 overall remodel of the administrative building, 311 N. Ninth St. The plan is to convert a pair of first-floor storage rooms into lactation rooms that will allow county employees who are nursing mothers the opportunity to pump breast milk for their babies during the work day in a private setting.
“Supporting nursing moms at work is not only the right thing to do, but also research tells us breast-fed babies are sick less often, and moms who breastfeed are healthier, too,” Lucas said. “The longer a mom breastfeeds, the less likely she is to experience breast cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. This is a huge benefit to the county because it keeps health costs low and morale high.”
The county’s decision comes four months after the State of Kansas unveiled a private lactation room on the first floor of the Statehouse in Topeka.
(Read more: News – The Garden City Telegram)