{"id":13317,"date":"2025-05-11T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-10T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dollarsandsense.sg\/business\/?p=13317"},"modified":"2025-05-10T09:53:55","modified_gmt":"2025-05-10T01:53:55","slug":"toilets-are-not-for-breastfeeding-vivian-lees-gomama-lactation-pods-are-breaking-down-barriers-to-breastfeeding-on-the-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dollarsandsense.sg\/business\/toilets-are-not-for-breastfeeding-vivian-lees-gomama-lactation-pods-are-breaking-down-barriers-to-breastfeeding-on-the-go\/","title":{"rendered":"Toilets Are Not For Breastfeeding. Vivian Lee\u2019s Go!Mama Lactation Pods Are Breaking Down Barriers To Breastfeeding On The Go"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With her second child, Rhea, born smaller than most babies due to a congenital heart condition, being able to breastfeed the girl was \u201ccritical\u201d, says Vivian Lee<\/a>, Lead Founder and CEO of Go!Mama<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBreast milk was the best gift I could give her,\u201d relates the mother of two. \u201cSo, I was very committed to breastfeeding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there was one problem: finding conducive spaces to breastfeed or pump milk outside the home was challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While others may have just tolerated existing facilities (or the lack of them), Vivian took matters into her own hands, launching a startup offering lactation pods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These pods are inspired by the standalone work booths that popped up during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide a private, comfortable space for mothers to breastfeed children under 36 months old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And when Rhea started babbling \u201cGo! Mama! Go! Mama!\u201d, Vivian found the perfect business name that encourages mums to not let motherhood hold them back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read Also: <\/em><\/strong>Are Female Founders Discriminated Against In Singapore? For Alchemy Foodtech\u2019s Verleen Goh, The Answer Is A Resounding \u201cNo\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou Cannot Breastfeed In The Toilet\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When Vivian returned to work after maternity leave<\/a>, she let her employer know she wanted to continue breastfeeding Rhea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her employer approved her request\u2014and said she could do it in the toilet. Vivian was stunned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI told my employer you cannot breastfeed in the toilet,\u201d exclaims Vivian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s dirty, it\u2019s not for feeding and there\u2019s someone pooping next to me. How can you breastfeed there? It\u2019s so smelly, also.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her employer\u2019s reply: Other employees had breastfed in the toilet, and this had worked out fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t fine with Vivian, who was sad her colleagues had made do with that arrangement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She left her job, joined the National University of Singapore (NUS) Enterprise\u2019s Venture Building programme for first-time entrepreneurs in end-2020 and incorporated Go!Mama on 8 March 2021\u2014a date chosen to coincide with International Women\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scaling From Sentosa To Singapore<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Vivian\u2019s participation in the venture building programme paid off. She secured funding, including $50,000 from a Startup SG Founder grant<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Receiving the funds validated Vivian\u2019s belief that her lactation pod idea was worth a shot. It also convinced her long-time friend, Eunice Lim<\/a>, to join the business as co-founder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first version of Go!Mama\u2019s pods was tested in Sentosa. Vivian chose the island resort for the pilot trial because \u201cit\u2019s a lot like a smaller Singapore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf our concept could work in the little island of Sentosa, it\u2019s able to work in Singapore at a larger scale,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Sentosa-goers used the pods and shared feedback, Go!Mama improved the pods\u2019 features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, the pods\u2019 seats were initially similar to the MRT\u2019s uncushioned ones to help the pods\u2019 ultraviolet (UV) sanitation system disinfect them after use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But after many mums wrote in to say sitting on a hard bench for 20 to 30 minutes was uncomfortable, Go!Mama installed \u201cwell-cushioned\u201d seats whose material can withstand UV disinfection and physical wipe-downs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current version of the pods also contains amenities like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n