To want to attend the count, when I am a candidate even if I am a nursing mother still?

[weirdbird]

Basically as the subject says, bf mother with 7mth old baby, still not that keen on food, I am a candidate in todays local elections and have been told at the last min that the council do not consider it "appropriate" for me to attend with baby at the count tomorrow and he is not allowed entrance.
This means that I cannot attend as he won't take a bottle.

I understand it is not a place for children but this just seems ridiculas, they are only sat around counting the votes, but it means I can't be there to find out if I have gotten in!

It is a noisy room anyway with 100's of people talking, so its not like he is going to disturb the peace (and I would remove him if he made too much noise, but at 7mths he just likes looking around and gurgling away)

Am I being un-reasonable or is the councils Electoral Services manager.

I was just using that as an example. I wasn't saying its exactly the same as paid employment.

My point really is that this is only a discriminatory bf issue if the organisers are not prepared to make adjustments so that a woman can bf /express. If they are prepared to do make arrangements for that , its perfectly reasonable for them to not allow children in (Apart from when bf). I expect most of the candidates are mums or dads, and it's just one of those parental responsibilities to organise childcare.

Its a shame you have not felt able to make arrangements to attend, but it will make no difference to the count, so hopefully you'll get elected.

How did you get on? I got in! Eek!

Well done loopylou :) May you be a Force For Good

Well done Loopy! My count is tomorrow. I'm hoping to make double figures.

There were quite a few children at our count today. I don't see the problem with taking anyone, but it is pretty tedious.

Thank you. :)

I don't think the OP was making it a BF discrimination issue, just a lack or common sense issue.

I hope you took the baby - there is no sensible reason not to. It's not like it's dangerous/smoky/cold/hot/ or any other PRACTICAL reason not to take him. He's a little baby not a toddler running amok.

Good luck