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Student Resources at the Women’s Center
The Women’s Center is committed to providing inclusive, student-centered resources that help support your academic success and personal well-being. Whether you're a student-parent, an advocate for menstrual equity, or simply seeking support and connection, our resources are here to meet your needs. We offer guidance, services, and community-building opportunities designed to help you balance the many aspects of your life while feeling supported and seen.
From the Student-Parent Support Network and lactation space access to the Menstrual Freedom Coalition and the Women’s Alumni Council, we’re building a campus culture that values care, access, and belonging. These programs offer practical support while also creating opportunities to engage, lead, and connect with others. More details about each resource are listed below.
Student Resources
- Student-Parent Support Network
- Promoting the academic success of the university’s student-parents, offering support, services, resources, and building community.
- Learn to balance your personal, social, academic, and professional lives.
- Engage with programming that promote a sense of belonging, identity development, and community for students who are parents.
- Receive information and resources for student-parents
- Opt in to Center for Belonging, Access, & Engagement Success Coaching program
Welcome to the Women's Center Information Page
Lactation spaces are located throughout all three of UofL's campuses. Spaces are conveniently reservable through the UofL 25Live reservation system unless otherwise noted. Click on the maps below to find a location near you. Once a space is selected, click on the link in the description to view the location and reserve.
Finding a Space
To reserve a room follow the directions below using either a mobile device or a computer. A UofL account (username@louisville.edu) is needed to make reservation.
*If you’re visiting us from off campus, please see your event organizer to reserve a lactation space.
Campus Map
Below are easy instructions to access the spaces via your cell phone or computer.
Contact the Women's Center with questions about lactation rooms, (502) 852-8976, womenctr@louisville.edu
Visit 25live.louisville.edu. to make reservations. Sign in on the top right hand side using your UofL ID. Click on the name of the room to view the space.
Follow the steps in the squares below on your mobile device or computer to complete your reservation.
UofL Policies
Lactation Resources
Federal and State law require break time and private space for nursing mothers
In 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act amended the Fair Labor Standards Act to require employers to provide a nursing mother reasonable break time to express breast milk and a place for an employee to do so. For more information about this law click here to visit the U.S. Department of Labor's website.
The business case for supporting nursing mothers has been made
Research has shown that employer- sponsored lactation support programs result in lower absenteeism for both moms and dads, lower healthcare costs (newborn health care costs are typically about three times less for babies of breastfeeding women) greater retention of valuable employees and increased productivity and loyalty from employees. For more information, click here.
Obtaining Breasts Pumps for Students (According to Healthcare.gov)
Your health insurance plan must cover the cost of a breast pump. It may be either a rental unit or a new one you’ll keep.
Your plan may have guidelines on whether the covered pump is manual or electric, the length of the rental, and when you’ll receive it (before or after birth) so contact your health insurance provider first.
List of pump providers for students to go through:
McKesson Breast Pumps (Target) – 855-406-7867
Byram Health Care – 877-902-9726
Edge Park Medical Supply – 1-800-321-0591
Medical Industries – 1-800-633-5463
Walmart Mail Order – No #
Other Resources
Frequently Asked Questions(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Proper Handling and Storage of Human Milk(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Travel Recommendations for the Nursing Mother(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Break Time for Nursing Mothers
Mission: The Menstrual Freedom Coalition (MFC) is a coalition of campus and community partners, who come together dedicated to challenging period stigma and dismantling barriers. MFC promotes menstrual equity through resource-sharing, educational workshops and community building to empower individuals who menstruate to live their lives to the fullest. Period.
The Menstrual Freedom Coalition has three goals:
- To educate campus and community partners about leadership approaches in menstrual equity
- Building community invested in menstrual equity
- Collectively increasing access to menstrual products through community-wide distribution
How to "get with the flow" and join the Coalition?
- Attend annual meeting
- Contact us! womenctr@louisville.edu .
Why is this important?
- 1 in 10 college students experience period poverty.
- THINX & PERIOD.'s 2019 State of the Period revealed that 4 in 5 students reported missing class or knowing someone who had missed class, due to not having access to menstrual products.
- In a 2021 study published in BMC Women's Health, it was revealed that Black and Latina women reported experiencing the highest rates of period poverty among those sampled.
- According to a 2021 study titled State of the Period conducted by THINX and PERIOD., nearly 25% of students reported struggling to access menstrual products. In addition, 51% of students also reported wearing products for longer than recommended.
- 1 in 5 menstruators from ages 13-19 have struggled to afford period products or were not able to purchase them at all.
The UofL Alumni Association, in collaboration with the Women's Center, has created the Women’s Alumni Council.This council seeks to strengthen the bond between the university and alumnae, create and promote community service opportunities, help advocate for and mentor students, and work collaboratively to develop networking and engagement opportunities. We hope you will join us to meet members and to get involved!
Email: UofLWomenAlumni@gmail.com