The launch coincides with Ireland's National Breastfeeding Week and marks the University's participation in the Public Health Agency's Breastfeeding Welcome Here initiative, which encourages organisations to create supportive environments where breastfeeding is welcomed and respected.
The newly branded Parenting Rooms, previously baby changing facilities, have been redesigned to support a wider range of needs, including breastfeeding, expressing milk, infant feeding, rest during pregnancy and providing privacy for those undergoing fertility treatment.
Located across the Belfast, Coleraine and Derry~Londonderry campuses, the upgraded spaces include comfortable seating, privacy locks, baby-changing facilities, handwashing sinks, refrigeration for the short-term storage of expressed milk, electrical sockets for breast pumps and nearby toilet facilities.
Importantly, the University is also reaffirming that breastfeeding is welcomed throughout public spaces on campus, including cafés, libraries and communal areas, with the Parenting Rooms offering an additional option for those who prefer privacy.
Creating a culture where parents feel supported
The launch reflects Ulster University's wider commitment to equality, inclusion and wellbeing, while also contributing to the institution's Sustainability and Responsible Futures agenda by helping create a campus environment where people can participate fully in education and work, regardless of their stage of life or caring responsibilities.
For many staff members, the improvements represent more than upgraded facilities. They are a visible sign of a culture that values and supports families.
Dr Claire McCauley, Director of Teaching, Learning and Quality in the School of Nursing and Paramedic Science, knows first-hand how important that support can be.
When considering a career opportunity while breastfeeding, Claire remembers questioning whether she would have to choose between professional progression and continuing to feed her child.
"There are options. You don't have to choose between your baby and your work, or your baby and your degree."
Claire was among the colleagues who helped champion the University's first dedicated breastfeeding facilities and believes that creating visible, supportive environments sends a powerful message to staff, students and visitors.
"Universities help shape future workplaces," she said. "When students see breastfeeding treated as a normal and supported part of everyday life, they carry those expectations into the professions and communities they will go on to lead."
For Dr Deborah Muldrew, Lecturer in Healthcare Science and Programme Director for MSc Nursing, practical support and visible reassurance helped ensure her own breastfeeding journey continued for as long as she wanted.
Deborah breastfed all three of her children, including twins, while balancing the demands of family life and returning to work after maternity leave.
"My breastfeeding journey was everything I wanted it to be. It wasn't cut short."
Following her return to work, Deborah benefited from flexible working arrangements and supportive colleagues, experiences that reinforced the importance of making breastfeeding support visible and accessible.
She believes initiatives such as Breastfeeding Welcome Here and the refreshed Parenting Rooms help remove uncertainty for parents navigating university life.
"As a breastfeeding mother, I would have sought out somewhere that had Breastfeeding Welcome Here signage because I would have been more confident going there. I would know that, if somebody did say something, staff would be aware and able to help me if I didn't feel confident speaking up myself."
Deborah added that supportive environments benefit everyone.
"We can't expect women to be the change if the environment stays the same. It's a family issue. It's a community and public health issue."
Support for staff, students and visitors
The University's Parenting Rooms are available to mothers, fathers, partners and carers of all genders and can be accessed without a specific card or key.
The initiative is supported by a dedicated online Parenting Rooms hub, bringing together information on locations, facilities and support available across each campus.
Alongside the launch, the University will host a series of National Breastfeeding Week coffee mornings, inviting staff and students to learn more about the support available and share ideas on creating an even more inclusive campus environment.
By combining practical facilities, visible support and a culture of understanding, Ulster University hopes to ensure that anyone who chooses to breastfeed, express milk or access pregnancy-related support feels welcomed, respected and empowered to participate fully in university life. As Deborah reflects:
"It's the organisational policies, but then the knowledge, understanding, support and kindness from your colleagues that really encourages you to keep going."
