How San Diego Convention Center Turned Lactation Access Into a Competitive Advantage

The access gap

The San Diego Convention Center is recognized as one of the top convention venues in the U.S., hosting everything from major medical congresses to Comic-Con International. Yet despite its reputation for operational excellence, one element of the guest experience wasn’t meeting expectations: lactation access.

SDCC technically had lactation spaces, but they were centralized on one floor and located at opposite ends of the facility. 

“We were hearing from attendees and exhibitors that it was not only challenging to find the lactation accommodations we had, but also to get to them when they had limited time,” said Maren Dougherty, Executive Director of Marketing & Communications. “We realized it wasn’t enough to have lactation spaces—we needed to have enough of them.”

Privacy emerged as yet another issue as attempts to repurpose existing rooms fell short. “One lactation space was carved out of a restroom, but there wasn’t a lot of privacy so we added curtaining. It still wasn’t optimal,” said Paul Turner, General Manager. 

Expectations were rising, particularly from large medical conferences where privacy and inclusivity are non-negotiable. “We recognized that lactation pods had become an amenity that we should have. Our contemporaries in the industry had [Mamava pods]—so why were we an outlier?” Turner said.

A purpose-built solution

Turner, who’s worked in the venue management industry for over 30 years, was already familiar with Mamava. After considering various solutions, SDCC invested in four Mamava lactation pods, including a wheelchair-accessible model to meet accessibility requirements.

The freestanding pods are intentionally designed to support the needs of breastfeeding and pumping parents with an interior deadbolt to ensure privacy, a comfortable place to sit, and a surface to plug in a breast pump. “The Mamava pods are purpose-made for lactation, so it’s a great enhancement,” said Turner. 

Pods were placed in high-traffic guest areas—Lobby H, Lobby 20, outside Room 17, and Lobby B—with one positioned near staff work zones to support employees as well as attendees. The maintenance team assembled and installed the units internally. 

“It was really easy—all you need is floor space and an outlet,” Turner said.

Operational execution matters

SDCC considers the pods operational infrastructure rather than a one-time installation. “Bring in your team early on to make sure everyone understands the purpose of the pods,” Turner advised. “When people need to use them, they’ve got to be ready and in the right condition. It’s those little fine points that show you’re paying attention and solving the problem.”

• A cross-departmental team of leaders from Cleaning Services, Communications, Event Services, Human Resources, Maintenance, and Sales conducted a full building walkthrough to align on pod placement.
  

• Guest Services inspects every pod each day before the building opens to confirm they’re ready for use.
  

• Staff are trained and have access codes to assist guests if needed.

Impact: Stronger guest experience and stronger positioning

The results were immediate and attendees visiting SDCC shared their appreciation on social media. As Jessica Wanaker, a VP of Business Development and Strategic Marketing (who attended Advanced Therapies Week at SDCC) posted on LinkedIn:

“Those pods were not just convenient, they were enabling. Because of them, I didn’t have to run to my car or hang out in a bathroom stall to ensure I pumped on schedule (which we know is key!!). This is what real support for working parents looks like. Infrastructure like this doesn’t just make events more comfortable; it makes participation possible.”  

The pod installation also generated positive media coverage, by Yahoo News, Fox5, MSN, and FMLink, reinforcing SDCC’s brand as a forward-thinking venue.

“The pods have strengthened our reputation as being a guest-centric facility,” said Dougherty. “We don’t get the complaints anymore,” Turner added. “In addition to solving this problem for guests and attendees, we’ve also expanded accommodations for staff. It’s a win all the way around.”

Beyond guest satisfaction, lactation access can also influence site selection decisions. In a survey of SDCC’s event clients, four out of five rated designated lactation spaces as important when selecting a venue. For convention centers competing for large-scale conferences, that’s not a soft metric. It’s a competitive signal.

Stephanie Willes, CEM, who leads conference logistics for NeurIPS, confirms how that plays out in practice:

“Lactation spaces are one element that we are looking for to ensure the venue is inclusive to parents of a nursing infant. It shows nursing mothers that they are seen. Being a mom is hard enough, but having this accessibility in the middle of a bustling conference is one less thing she needs to worry about.”

For event planners, lactation accommodations are no longer just a courtesy feature—they’re part of the evaluation criteria.

Doing the right thing and setting the standard

“I consider the Mamava product to be the industry standard,” Turner said. “It’s really about doing the right thing. We’re in the hospitality business, so we need to accommodate people’s needs.”

For SDCC, lactation spaces are no longer an afterthought, but fully integrated into the guest experience and into their competitive strategy.

Looking to enhance lactation access at your venue? Explore Mamava solutions →

Mamava designs solutions to empower breastfeeding and pumping parents on the go, like our freestanding lactation pods, Mamava’s lactation space locator app, and other helpful resources.

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