Mothers encounter large barriers to breastfeeding during Australian Football League (AFL) games. They have lobbied teams for more appropriate facilities inside stadiums. Hester Brown and Alexandra Merrett have recently addressed the issue of available breastfeeding rooms at games. Both women, who are connected to the sport through their husbands, are fighting for improved facilities.
From 2018-2023, like other breastfeeding participants, Hester Brown experienced the difficulties of breastfeeding at stadiums. This experience took place during the time that her husband, Ben Brown, was playing for North Melbourne and subsequently for Melbourne. She addressed these challenges directly and personally, all while raising her young children. This experience illustrates the challenges mothers face when it comes to what should be an enjoyable family experience.
Alexandra Merrett, the wife of Essendon captain Zach Merrett, recently presented a different type of challenge on Anzac Day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). After battling to find a breastfeeding room, she’s now called for better facilities. She expressed her anger over the lack of available bathrooms and other accommodations. In an accompanying video documenting her experience, she shouted, “I wish I had known that there was a breastfeeding room!”
Both mothers pointed out that many women do not have ample time to locate a room for breastfeeding or pumping, especially in crowded environments like stadiums. Hester Brown noted that in some cases, the pumping can take 10 minutes or even 30 minutes. This time-consuming procedure can turn a fun day trip into an aggravating nuanceregacy. She commented on the challenges she faced, saying, “I’ve asked for help often — and it’s not the MCG staff’s problem — but they often don’t know where it is, or it’ll be on the other side of the members, a million miles away.”
Mothers have been forced to pump in restroom stalls because there’s nowhere else to go. Hester Brown described this experience, stating, “So often, that’s just you standing in a cubicle or sitting on the loo by yourself with the machine whirring in the background having not a nice or relaxed experience.” This points to a serious and urgent need for new mothers. They want to be able to focus on the game but still address their babies’ needs.
Lucinda McKimm, host of a new motherhood and career podcast series – also called Ready or Not – agreed with these feelings. In her testimony, she brought attention to how mothers regularly have difficulty accessing safe locations to breastfeed or pump. This new pressure is another hurdle, making it more difficult for them to make it to footy games. Read about McKimm’s own experience in the parenting room at Docklands. She noted that several clubs are starting to employ lactation staff to assist partners in breastfeeding and pumping while working game days.
The advocacy for more inclusive facilities is indicative of an increasing awareness among teams about the expectations of families coming to their matches. Stadiums around Australia have lead the way by introducing baby change rooms and private areas. There remains a tremendous gap between progress and potential.
Etta Hester Brown is equally committed to getting new mothers to footy matches. She knows that making sure they don’t have any barriers to accessing them is absolutely key. During their time, Brown and Merrett both took family-friendly steps towards creating welcoming, inclusive stadium experiences. These spaces need to be inviting to all who come.
