Babies R Us – Kennesaw, GA

Babies R Us – There seems to be a theme going with the rooms at BRU nationwide.  The rooms are there, but they are dirty, neglected, or co-opted for another purpose.  Here is what one mother wrote about her local BRU:

“Babies R Us has a ‘Mothers Room’ in the back near the restrooms. It probably looked nice the first week the store was open, but as it is now I wouldn’t recommend nursing there unless you absolutely have to. It has one small couch, a place where it looks like a second couch would go but is just empty, 2 changing tables w/ cabinets below that look likethey should hold supplies but are empty, and a small table w/ a rack of flyers on it that was falling apart. There is barely enough room for 2 strollers….The couch was very dirty (I’m sure it has never been cleaned), the room didn’t smell clean, but it didn’t smell like dirty diapers. There was no air or ventilation. I would have just nursed him in the car if it hadn’t been 100 degrees outside. They mean well at Babies R Us, but the store managers obviously could really care less about nursing moms.”

Tempe, AZ

IKEA – A mom writes: The IKEA store in Tempe has two nursing rooms, one off of the first floor lobby and one near the upstairs restaurant. They are located in the “Family Restroom,” but this is not a set-up where you are expected to nurse next to the toilet. The bathroom part is totally seperate from the nursing room. The nursing room features a comfy chair, a changing table (with free disposable diapers) and a toy box so that if you have older children with you they can play while the baby eats. The rooms are well lighted and have pictures on the wall. It isn’t quite like nursing at home, but the IKEA nursing rooms come much closer than most. Best of all, there is a door with a lock, so that you can have total privacy, and keep older kids contained.

LDS (Mormon) Temple Visitors Center – A reader writes: “they have a nice, comfortable room right off the ladies restroom. No toys, but comfortable chairs and nice pictures on the wall. “

BabiesRUs – Tempe/Ahwatukee – A reader writes: “They do have a nursing room that I have found to be kept quite clean. Inside are two changing tables with contoured pads, disposable pads, a Diaper Dekor, a loveseat, glider and ottoman, and an end table with plugs right next to it. When I first went in there was a mother in there with her double stroller. My massive stroller fit as well with room to spare. The supplies were running low, but later during the same trip I saw some woman stuffing diapers into her diaper bag as she left the Mother’s Room… kind of hard to keep them stocked when people steal things. It did have a sign saying “No Merchandise” so this was not a fitting room.”

Arizona Mills Mall – A reader writes: “I could not locate a nursing room and the family restroom was filthy so I nursed my daughter on a bench, with a cover. A store employee approached me and told me that I needed to nurse her in the food court or the rest room. When I politely told them no, they called security who told me that I could nurse in the restroom, but not anywhere else. NOT a breastfeeding friendly mall.”

Fascinations – A reader writes: “I know this is an adult store, but I went in to get a Halloween costume when my baby was 3 weeks old and they let me use the break area to nurse.”

Bellis Fair Mall – Bellingham, WA

Bellis Fair Mall – A mom writes: There is a family room/nursing room in Bellis Fair mall. It is near the bathrooms in the food court.  The entrace for the bathrooms
is by customer service, and the nursing area is past the bathrooms, on the right.  It has couches and also a family bathroom with a toilet and two toddler sized toilets in one room. When I have used it in the past, it has been clean.

If you are in the opposite end of the mall, and do not want to walk to the nurisng room, Target will often let you use their changing rooms if they are not busy.  It doesn’t hurt to ask, and you could always take something to try on as well.

Pasadena, MD

Babies R Us – Someone please tell me how a nursing room can be out of order. A mother writes about this room: “The BRU in Pasadena, MD has a mother’s room with a small loveseat and one changing station.  However, most of the time it says “out of order.” This is also the room where mothers are supposed to go on to try on bras (!).”

Babies R Us – Towson, MD

Babies R Us – Once again, it seems that BRU has good intentions, but the follow through isn’t so great. A mother writes that this store “has a small nursing room in the women’s bathroom. Inside are two changing tables with disposable changing pads to go on top of the padded ones, one love seat, and a diaper pail (Diaper Genie II). I was there the very first day they opened and there were diapers on the floor as the pail was overflowing and there was nowhere else to put them. It appeared that the changing stations might have had diapers on them, but they were mostly gone. It was a bit awkward nursing in there because the loveseat was really small, so the woman who came in after me practically had to snuggle up with me and my baby in order to nurse hers. There is also nowhere to put your diaper bag while you are changing your baby except the floor.”

Universal Studios – Orlando, FL

Universal Studios - This amusement park has a nursing room described by a mother as “nursing nirvana.” She writes: The Studio had an amazing nursing room.  I don’t remember exactly where in the park it was, but it was well labeled on their free map of the park/rides that you get as you enter.  It had a couch, tv, and changing table in one room.  The second adjoining room had a glider rocker, a night table with a lamp, a basket of childrens books, a DIMMER switch on the overhead light, and even a pillow with a disposable pillowcase.  I thought I had found nursing nirvana!  I applaud them and can only hope more nursing women will find this gem and others like it.

Please note this is at the Universal Studios Park, not at the Islands of Adventure.

Babies R Us – Silver Spring, MD

Babies R Us – This facility has a “mother’s room” in the back of the store next to the bathrooms. They have two changing tables and basic changing supplies. They also have a glider and a couch. There are outlets available for pumping moms, but the room itself reeks and is not kept clean. Complaints to the manager have not brought about positive changes.

Branson, MO

Silver Dollar City – There is a nursing room here with air conditioning, rocking chairs, and a changing table.

New York, NY

Appleseeds - Danielle of Celebrity Baby Blog writes: “It’s not a completely public space (you have to be a member or have your kid(s) enrolled in classes there), but Appleseeds (appleseedsnyc.com or appleseedsny.com) has a new nursing lounge sponsored by bravado bras. It’s a small room with a comfy Svan Monarch nursing chair, blankets, reading material, electrical outlet.”

Buy Buy Baby – 7th Avenue at 25th Street – A reader writes: “This store has two nursing rooms on the lower level. Each is simply a small room with a glider and footstool, but that’s a pretty nice thing when you’ve been shopping all day. I didn’t notice any outlets for pumping.”