Allyson Felix Launches First-Ever Olympic Village Nursery for Athletes' Kids at Paris Olympic 2024

The most decorated woman in Olympic track and field history, Allyson Felix, is delivering a historic first to the Olympic Village: a nursery. Felix, an 11-time Olympic medalist and proud mother of two, has partnered with Pampers to launch the first-ever nursery at the Olympic Village, set to debut at the Athletes' Village Plaza during the Paris 2024 Olympics. 

Summarized Insights:

• Allyson Felix launches Olympic nursery

• Partnership with Pampers

• First-ever at Olympic Village

• Supports athlete mothers

• Reflects Felix's own experiences

This innovative initiative aims to provide a supportive space for Olympic mothers to bond with and care for their babies amidst their intense competition schedules.

"It was top of mind to support athletes who are mothers," Felix shared with NBC Olympics. "It's a space where families can get away from it all and have some of the comforts of home. 

They can have playtime and have places to feed their babies. It's meant to feel like home."

Recently joining the Athletes' Commission at the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Felix relishes the opportunity to be a "voice for athlete moms." 

She emphasizes the importance of providing childcare support to ensure that mothers and families feel supported and can maintain some normalcy during the Games. 

"Having some normalcy is great, just to have an actual space dedicated for this," she said.

An IOC release announcing the nursery highlighted that Pampers brand wipes and nappies will be available, along with spaces for playtime and family bonding. 

Emma Terho, the IOC's Athletes' Commission Chair and a two-time Olympic ice hockey medalist for Finland, praised the initiative: "Pregnancy and motherhood don’t have to mean a career end for female athletes. This nursery allows that to happen, while also giving athletes the opportunity to focus on the Games."

Felix's journey into motherhood began in 2018 under challenging circumstances. At 32 weeks pregnant, she was diagnosed with preeclampsia, a life-threatening pregnancy complication, and underwent an emergency C-section. 

Her daughter, Camryn, was born prematurely and spent the first month of her life in a neonatal intensive care unit. Now five years old, Camryn is living a healthy, happy life.

Reflecting on her experience of returning to competition with her daughter, Felix acknowledged the difficulties of balancing motherhood with an athletic career. 

"It was even hard in ways I didn't expect, like staying in hotels, washing bottles, all the things you have to bring, feeding your baby in stadiums, who's going to watch your baby. It was challenging, but I had a lot of learnings of how things can be better."

After Camryn's birth, Felix continued to excel in her sport, winning a 4x400m gold and an individual bronze in the 400m at the Tokyo Olympics, marking her fifth consecutive Olympics with a medal. 

She has also supported initiatives to aid families with premature births, partnering with Pampers to donate up to one million diapers to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

Felix and her husband, Kenneth Ferguson, welcomed their second child, a boy named Kenneth Maurice Ferguson III, known as "Trey," in April. 

"He's doing really well," Felix said. "It's been really fun to be a mother for the second time. He's thriving."

As Felix and her family prepare to travel to Paris for the first Olympic Games without her on the track since the 2000 Sydney Olympics, 

she anticipates a strong performance from the U.S. track and field team. "Our team is so strong," she said. "We have that depth as always. I'm excited to watch Gabby Thomas. The 200m is my event, so I'm looking forward to that. On the men's side, it's very strong as well. Noah (Lyles), Kenny (Bednarek), Erriyon (Knighton), they all look great."

Felix also looks forward to seeing new mother Elle St. Pierre, who gave birth to her son, Ivan, in March 2023, compete in the women's 1500m. "I've been following her and look forward to her competing," Felix said.

The nursery launch in Paris is part of Felix's broader activism efforts. She created a childcare fund in 2021 to support mom athletes and recently received a $20 million grant from the Melinda French Gates Foundation to support Black maternal health. 

Felix's mission is to ensure that initiatives like her childcare fund and the Olympic nursery become societal staples. "This is a shift in culture," Felix said. 

"It's saying that motherhood isn't the end. If you choose to be a mother in the midst of your career, you can still go and have incredible performances."