Touro Nursing Nest Now Open at Audubon Zoo
Audubon Zoo has a special new area just for nursing mothers and their babies. The newest Touro Nursing Nest is now open, and it provides a welcoming place for parents to feed and care for their infants while visiting the Zoo.
The Touro Nursing Nest features comfortable seating for nursing moms, diaper changing stations, electrical outlets to accommodate breast pumps, and maternal and infant health information provided by Touro.
“We are thrilled to sponsor the Touro Nursing Nest for families visiting the Audubon Zoo,” said Manny Linares, President and CEO of Touro. “Breastfeeding provides unmatched health benefits for both baby and mother, and our mission as a community hospital is to provide healthcare and support to our patients both inside and outside the walls of our hospital. The Nursing Nest project allows us to provide education, resources, and support out in the community where our patients need it the most.”
Located near the Zoo’s playground area, the Touro Nursing Nest provides a climate-controlled building for nursing mothers to feed their infants in privacy away from the excitement of the Zoo.
“Family time is important, and as one of the city’s top family attractions, we know special memories are being made here every day, “said Daine Appleberry, Audubon Zoo’s Senior Vice President of Operations. “We are thankful for Touro’s gift, making it possible to offer this quiet place for nursing mothers and their babies."
After their nursing time, mothers and babies can see several other little ones around the Zoo. Sumatran orangutan Roux made his public debut this spring and can be seen holding tightly to his mother in their outdoor enclosure while other orangutan youngsters play nearby. Sumatran orangutans are critically endangered, making baby Roux a most welcome addition to the world and Audubon Zoo.
In the Louisiana Swamp exhibit, three fuzzy orphaned bear cubs are making themselves at home and delighting guests with their antics. The smallest bear is “Sassafras,” a Louisiana black bear cub found alone in a tree in north Louisiana. She is joined by two orphaned black bear sisters from Alaska who have just arrived in New Orleans and will also grow up at Audubon Zoo.
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About Touro
Touro has been serving the New Orleans community for over 170 years, and today is the city’s only community-based, non-profit, faith-based hospital offering comprehensive healthcare services at every stage of life, from delivering generations of New Orleans babies to providing comprehensive cardiac, cancer and rehabilitation care. Touro is a proud member of LCMC Health, a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system which also includes Children’s Hospital, New Orleans East Hospital, University Medical Center New Orleans, West Jefferson Medical Center, and East Jefferson General Hospital.
About Audubon Nature Institute
Audubon Nature Institute is a family of facilities, events, experiences, sustainability initiatives and conservation programs united in the belief that each of us has the power to impact nature and wildlife for the better. This includes Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium, Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center, Woldenberg Riverfront Park and Audubon Wilderness Park. We inspire visitors, members and our community to support nature and wildlife — and leave the world better than we found it.