Work trips away from home and breastfeeding?

[Guitargirl]

I will be returning to work in the summer when DD will be 7 months. Am planning on breastfeeding until she's a year. My job involves occasional trips away from home of 2-3 days. Does anyone know my legal position re travel and bf? Will I be able to tell my boss that I can't do any trips away until I stop bf?

[stargate]

you should do a risk assessment on return to work in relation to the breastfeeding. -
well, i say this as our policy for pg, mat leave and bf in return to work is included. the risk assessment we use has a section to cover bf.

bf or not, your employer has to consider your needs as a carer of an under five.

[chocolatekimmy]

Thats an interesting one, I would assume that you will have to refrain from trips away until you stop breastfeeding.

I am not sure though if it would be related to health and safety issues. I suppose there would be the issue of discomfort/pain if your boobs are filling up for a few days (even with expressing).

I think any employer that attempted to force someone to do that would probably face sex discrimination claim as potentially you would be suffering a detriment soley as a new and nursing mother?

Yes, you should tell your boss that you won't be able to do trips away whilst you are still breast feeding. I suggest you rin g ACAS as well.

Hopefully someone will come along with the legal position on this but please post anyway if you find out as I would be interested to know myself.

[CristinaTheAstonishing]

Hi Guitargirl - I don't know the legal position. On a practical side, you could "pump & dump", not ideal by any means, and pick up again when you return. I'm going away with work in May and I'm going to use the opportunity to give up BF (my DD is 2).

[chocolatekimmy]

Further to my previous posting, the issue relates to the health and safety risk assessment. Its covered under the health and safety at work (HSAW) Act 1999, regulation 18 and they have to carry out an assessement if pregnant or if you have given birth in last 6 months or after 6 months if you are still breastfeeding.

They have to ensure that there is no risk to your health, safety and welfare that could harm you. There is nothing specific that says you don't have to work certain hours but you would have to present an argument (as above) to demonstrate that you could be affected. You have to tell them you are breastfeeding. I would assume you could argue that it could cause anxiety if you had to work away, in that you are not there for your baby and the continuity of breast feeding. I imagine it would be stressful being seperated when you are responsible for the feeding. Also, she is too young for cows milk and if you are unable to express, why should you have to consider an inferior alternative. If you are unable to express too, there would obviously be the physical affect on your health with regard to the discomfort and probable pain.

[Guitargirl]

Thanks very much for all the input. Am arming myself with all the info in preparation for steeling myself for the inevitable raised eyebrows and tuts from my boss...this is a man who wanted to send me on a field trip to Afghanistan when I was 30 weeks pregnant .

Chocolatekimmy - at what age can baby start taking cow's milk? (Am afraid I haven't got to that part in my baby books yet!!)

Thanks again!

[chocolatekimmy]

Don't quote me but I think its a year as a main drink but you can use it in cooking from 6 months.

I have a similar issue for when I go back to work as I don't want to switch to formula for the 2.5 days I will be at work. Advice here has been (and from a hv too) to breastfeed normally when you can and just don't worrry about milk during the days I am at work, making up the milk loss with cheese or sauces in cooking and custard/semoline/yoghurt etc.

[smittenkitten]

for me it would depend how necessary the trips are to your job. If they are important to do your job properly, then I think you are out of order going back and then refusing to travel. You could express a supply for while you are away and then 'pump and dump' while travelling. If you're not prepared to do this, then you shouldn't go back while you're nursing (assuming the travel is necessary).

[chocolatekimmy]

Don't know how you can say you shouldn't go back if you are still nursing.

Many mums bf beyond the end of the years maternity leave so it wouldn't always be practical - they wouldn't have a choice

(unless they resigned - but why should anyone for that reason?)

[lou031205]

It's surely not about what you think is 'reasonable' to the function of the job - the law protects the rights of breastfeeding mothers, regardless of whether they 'choose' to return to work or 'have' to return to work.

All mothers have the right to breastfeed, and all employers have a duty to ensure that their requirements do not unduly impact on that.