Why restrict breast-feeding of babies at Pre-school????

[LadyK]

Need some advice. What are your opinions on breast-feeding an infant sibling at a Pre-school setting? Is there any legislation in place either for or against it?

All opinions and advice welcome!!!

[Tinker]

Do you mean the sibling of the child at pre-school? Has it been restricted? By whom?

[Jacanne]

I have fed dd2 at dd1's pre-school - is that what you mean? I would be very shocked if a pre-school didn't allow you to feed there.

[LadyK]

Yes, a sibling of one of the children. We have a parent rota duty where a parent comes in to help with snack time, washing up etc. Breastfeeding has not actually been restricted, but it seems that staff were not very supportive of a mother who had to feed her baby during the session. She was being discreet and not interacting with any pre-school children, but was asked to leave the main hall and go into the kitchen.

We do have a policy which can exempt a parent from this duty if they are breastfeeding a child under six months of age. But this parent is actually quite happy to do her rota duty and does not want to be exempted.

[Piggy]

Blimey - having been treated like that I'm surprised she doesn't tell the pre school to stick their parent duty rota where the sun don't shine.

[Tinker]

I presume you're not in Scotland where it would be illegal, I think, to stop her. How dumb of the school to miss an opportunity like this to normalise bf.

[hunkermunker]

Horrible to make her move.

Absolutely horrible.

Preschoolers need to see babies being fed this way, to inform their choices later in life, IMO.

[stripeymama]

Would the question be asked if it was bottlefeeding?

[bobsmum]

Not sure I understand the setting. Is it a mums and toddler group where all the mums are staying anyway, or do you leave your children for a session? Who are the staff if they're not parents too?

Either way, would they have asked a mum with a bottle to move?

[3madboys]

they made her move

i bfed ds3 at playgroup and he was over 6mths, when i was settling ds2 in for his sessions.

i am now settling ds3 in at playgroup, he is nearly 3 and i had to bfeed him at his last settling in session, no one said anything at all.

they would be told where to go if they did.

[oliveoil]

I would have politely told them that I was quite happy where I was, thanks.

and imo most children would be interested (or are mine just nosy?)

[LadyK]

I agree with all this, and have said as much, and a bit more, to the parent involved.

No, not in Scotland. Wasn't sure if there was similar legislation in England that I could quote back to staff.

I find it hard to believe that the children would be unfamiliar with the idea of breastfeeding, and thought any questions about it could be viewed as a positive learning experience.

[LadyK]

It's a pre-school where you leave the kids for the usual 2 1/2 hour session. Only one parent on duty during the sessions. Most of the staff have older (ie school age or teenage) children.

[monkeybird]

I'd be horrified if this happened at my kid's nursery or school! I'd point out to the manager that falling birth rates (although it is going up again) mean bad publicity could lose them numbers so they should have a baby-friendly policy!

[PrettyCandles]

I find it difficult to believe that this is true. Not challenging you, LadyK, it's just outrageous!

I can understand they might say not to feed the baby during 'rota' because it affects their adult:child ratios. In which case the mum needs to be excused her day on the rota (dd's preschool also excused mums of under 6m babies). But if they're willing for her to feed the baby away from the children, then that is clearly not the case.

What on earth are they thinking? That the tots will be traumatised by the sight of a baby being breastfed? Likely that many of them have younger breastfed siblings at home, in any case.

Crazy. Sorry.

[mylittleponey]

what pre-school is it? one school has been outted on the train thread - lets see which school does this to bf mums & babys. She should have given her toddler a bf as well - I would have!!!