As a native of New England, I grew up cheering for the Patriots. I remember learning the team chants on the elementary school playground, and as I got older, admiring not only what an amazing football player Tom Brady is, but also how handsome he is. Football continues to be very important to me and my family, and I think every family should have the chance to get to a game every once and a while.

But for many families and mothers, it’s still very difficult to cheer for our beloved Patriots at a game because Gillette Stadium doesn’t offer rooms for parents to feed and change their children.

Join me in calling on Gillette Stadium to allow necessary childcare gear through the gates, and provide a space for parents to feed their babies in privacy while still cheering on the team.

When I first became a mother to my twins, I was so proud to be able to breastfeed them, even though they were born 7 weeks premature. But it’s frustrating to know that if I had tried to take my babies to a game, breastfeeding them while at Gillette would have been difficult, with no private room other than perhaps a broom closet. And changing their diapers would have been equally as difficult.

I’ve heard stories from moms who couldn’t even bring breast pumps into the stadium, and parents who were turned away for bringing diaper bags. Moms have even been forced to nurse their babies sitting on a toilet seat. Not only did they miss watching the game they’d come to see – and paid a lot to see - but their babies had to eat lunch in a bathroom!

Some stadiums have gotten it right though. Not too long ago, the Nationals Stadium in Washington D.C. was the target of a Change.org petition like this. After a lot of pressure, they listened to their fans and provided a fully outfitted room for families complete with comfy chairs, properly outfitted changing stations, and a screen on which to watch the game.

If the Nationals can do it, I know that the Patriots can too.

Sign my petition to ask Gillette Stadium, home of the Patriots, to accommodate new parents in their stadiums. Because parents change the game.