Breastfeeding Support Program
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where are the Mother's Rooms located on campus, and am I eligible to use one of the Mother's Rooms?
When are the Mother’s Rooms open? Who can I contact if I have trouble getting into the room?
Do the Mother’s Rooms have a refrigerator where I can store my milk?
What is a hospital-grade breast pump?
Where do I purchase a collection kit to use with a hospital-grade breast pump?
Who should I call if I am having difficulty expressing milk?
Why do I need to register with the Johns Hopkins Breastfeeding Support Program?
Q: Where are the Mother’s Rooms located on campus, and am I eligible to use one of the Mother’s Rooms?
A: The list of Mother’s Rooms indicates room locations and available equipment. Some of the rooms are reserved for employees who work in the building, so email or call the Mother’s Room contact person to find out if you are eligible to use a specific location.
Q: When are the Mother’s Rooms open? Who can I contact if I have trouble getting into the room?
A: The Mother’s Room contact person can tell you:
- The hours the room is open
- Specific instructions for accessing the room (Some rooms are accessed by a key code and others by a key.)
Q: Do the Mother’s Rooms have a refrigerator where I can store my milk?
A: Some of the rooms have a refrigerator where you may store your milk until the end of the day.
According to the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, you may store your milk in a cooler bag with an ice pack for up to 24 hours.
Q: What is a hospital-grade breast pump? 
A: A hospital-grade breast pump is the strongest and most durable breast pump available to breastfeeding moms. This pump effectively stimulates your breasts to adequately raise your levels of the hormones prolactin and oxytocin which increase your breast milk production and output.
A hospital-grade pump has a stronger, more powerful motor that provides a higher level of suction and more efficient pumping. While a personal-use breast pump is intended for use by only one mother, a hospital-grade pump is designed and approved by the FDA to be safe for multiple users. A hospital-grade breast pump can be used by more than one mom because it is designed with barriers that prevent cross contamination. When multiple moms use a hospital grade breast pump, each mother needs to use her own collection kit.
If you would like to use one of the hospital-grade pumps, ask the room’s contact person for the name of the pump manufacturer (Medela or Ameda) so you will know which kind of collection kit you need. (Free collection kits are available to employees making less than $40,000 per year.)
Q: Where do I purchase a collection kit to use with a hospital-grade breast pump?
Breast pump kits from Ameda and Medela have the accessories you need for the hospital-grade pumps available in the Mother's Rooms.
Q: Who should I call if I am having difficulty expressing milk?
A: Warm lines are one resource for specific breastfeeding questions. You should also contact your pediatrician or a lactation consultant through the International Lactation Consultant Association.
Q: Why do I need to register with the Johns Hopkins Breastfeeding Support Program?
A: Registering with the program provides us with your contact information so that we can email you about program updates and new resources. Registering also helps us document the need for additional Mother’s Rooms, hospital-grade pumps, and support services. Individual names will never be released as part of our reporting.
Help grow this list of frequently asked questions by contacting the Office of Work, Life and Engagement with your questions.