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🇧🇪 Belgium /Culture & Society

Belgian festival introduces 'pump bar' for nursing mothers

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The Bunge Live festival in Budingen, Belgium, is introducing a "pump bar" for mothers to express and store breast milk.
  • The facility, provided by Sint-Trudo Hospital, offers a quiet space with amenities like comfortable seating, water, and a refrigerator.
  • The initiative aims to allow mothers to enjoy the festival without needing to leave, also welcoming women who wish to breastfeed.

For the first time, the Bunge Live festival in Budingen, Belgium, is offering a dedicated "pump bar" to accommodate nursing mothers. This innovative facility, a collaboration with Sint-Trudo Hospital, provides a comfortable and private space for mothers to express and store breast milk, ensuring they can fully enjoy the festival without interruption.

Mothers now have a quiet and accessible place to pump, without having to leave the festival. We hope they will make use of it.

— Liene RymenantsFestival organizer explaining the purpose and hope for the new pump bar.

The pump bar is equipped with a comfortable seat, water, and detergent for cleaning equipment, along with a power outlet for electric pumps and a refrigerator for safe milk storage. "Mothers now have a quiet and accessible place to pump, without having to leave the festival," said Liene Rymenants from the festival organization. "We hope they will make use of it."

The idea originated from a personal experience within the hospital. "We became parents again on July 27 to our daughter Liv," shared Rymenants, whose partner, Tim Saenen, is also involved in the festival organization. "In the delivery room, we started talking about Bunge Live... That conversation was picked up by one of the midwives, who is also a co-initiator of the pump bar at Sint-Trudo Hospital, which has already been featured at other events."

We became parents again on July 27 to our daughter Liv. In the delivery room, we started talking about Bunge Live... That conversation was picked up by one of the midwives, who is also a co-initiator of the pump bar at Sint-Trudo Hospital, which has already been featured at other events.

— Liene RymenantsDescribing the personal inspiration behind the festival's pump bar initiative.

Bunge Live is designed as a family festival, and the organization emphasizes its commitment to making everyone feel welcome. The pump bar is open to all mothers who wish to express milk or breastfeed their babies, with staff ready to welcome visitors with a smile and ensure they feel at ease. No reservation is needed; attendees can simply walk in.

You are welcomed with a smile and the staff ensures that you can do your thing at ease.

— Liene RymenantsDescribing the welcoming atmosphere and support provided at the pump bar.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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