Workers Plunge Into Conversion of Restroom to Lactation Station

(Rockville, MD) — As the physical work on the newest lactation station at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has gotten underway, the staff that will be responsible for guiding mothers to the new facilities have begun their training, starting with the name of their new office.

"From now on, the Public Document Room (PDR) will no longer be known as the PDR. It will be renamed for its primary purpose: the Lactation Station / Public Document Room (LS/PDR)," said an NRC spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The idea of removing the PDR restroom and installing the Lactation Station was mandated by NRC management, who apparently felt that accommodating NRC mothers was more important than accommodating the restroom needs of the PDR's visitors, who do not have access to the entire NRC headquarters complex.

The staff of the office formerly known as the PDR are trained librarians, but they will soon be experts in the area of child rearing as well. Their course on managing day care facilities is nearly complete. Next up is Babysitting 101.

"The collection of books and materials in the LS/PDR will be changed as well," said the NRC spokesman, continuing to speak on condition of anonymity. "In addition to NUREGs and CFRs and Management Directives, users will soon have access to a comprehensive collection of books and journals on child-rearing topics, including American Baby, Family Circle, Parenting, and Pregnancy & Newborn."

Changes are also coming to the cabinets used for storage as well. Where toner and important files once lived, users will soon be able to find cabinets filled with baby formula, towels, blankets, soaps, lotions and diapers. And the ambiance in the Reading Room will take on a new life of its own with the addition of various toys and games.

This is not to say that the librarians will be giving up their library-related duties. They'll simply be expected to take on the added responsibilities associated with the Lactation Station, the addition of duties ironically being referred to as "shedding" as more work is simply piled on.

"LS/PDR staff can provide assistance with searching ADAMS (NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System) and burping babies," continued the NRC spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity. "And we will be providing chamber pots for members of the public who might actually need to use the facilities. Of course, LS/PDR staff will be expected to maintain those as well."