MTA Metro-North Railroad today announced that nursing on-the-go moms who travel through Grand Central Terminal – one of the busiest transportation hubs in the United States – now have their own cloistered space to breastfeed or pump, a private room located at Track 36 near Starbucks.    

 

Metro-North is working with Mommy Poppins, an online resource that offers curated activities and information for families. MommyPoppins.com, a platform designed to help parents discover enriching events and formative experiences for the whole family, now includes Grand Central Terminal’s lactation room in its directory of services for mothers.     

 

The lactation room is available for use seven days a week whenever Grand Central Terminal is open to the public. Customers can request request access at the Station Master’s office, located on the west side of the main concourse, behind the stairs to the Vanderbilt Avenue entrance and near Track 37.   

 

This latest customer-facing initiative will make it easier for more mothers to breastfeed by providing a private, ADA accessible enclosed room complete with climate control, an easy chair, a table, an electrical outlet for plugging in a breast pump, and a door that can be locked for privacy. The room has a phone with a direct ring to the Station Master’s Office for emergencies, and as an added security measure, security cameras monitor its outside entrance.

 

“Our team at Metro-North strives to continue to find new ways to make riding Metro-North a more positive experience for our customers,” said Catherine Rinaldi, President of Metro-North Railroad. “The new lactation room will help customers better navigate our transportation network, and I’m proud that Metro-North is supporting women on their journey as new moms.”

 

The lactation room fits squarely within the mandate of Metro-North’s Way Ahead plan, a roadmap for the railroad’s future that details actions to enhance safety, service, infrastructure, communications, and transform customers’ day-to-day commutes. 

 

Over the past year, the railroad has introduced a series of initiatives to make commuting an even more positive experience for customers, including: station ambassadors at the railroad’s six busiest stations; new Grand Central Terminal customer advocates; responding to customer questions and concerns at “Connect with Us Forums” hosting at stations throughout the railroad’s territory; a Rail Rewards program that offers customers discounts at Grand Central shops and restaurants, and new state-of-the-art “Big Boards” at Grand Central Terminal.