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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to breastfeed my toddler when in a lesson?

52 replies

ikeaismylocal · 21/08/2014 19:36

Ds's nursery is shut next Monday, I have a 2 hour lesson in the afternoon and my plan is to put him down for his nap in his pushchair on the way to the class, he'll probably sleep between 1.5 and 2 hours, lots of people do this and then leave if the child/baby wakes or is upset.

If ds wakes before the end of the lesson would I be unreasonable to breastfeed him? I'd get another half an hour of silence out of him if he's feeding.

It's a class of people from all different cultures, many of the other women wear head/facial coverings, I'm not sure if this is relevant or not.

OP posts:
MrsWinnibago · 21/08/2014 20:17

I can't see women minding. The ones who cover their hair won't either

RiverTam · 21/08/2014 20:18

having just looked this up, for my own interest, the age of the child (who isn't a baby) only matters in Scotland where the right to bf in public places only appears to be protected up to the age of 2. So if he's under 2 you;re fine wherever, but if he's over 2 and you're in Scotland I guess you might be asked not to.

MrsAtticus · 21/08/2014 20:23

If the class is mainly female I can't see a problem, even with cultural considerations. If there are men there could you use some kind of cover ( I use a jersey poncho, a pashmina or something would also work).

Flisspaps · 21/08/2014 20:26

If it's acceptable to take children into class when necessary, then feeding should be fine - even with men or without a cover (neither of mine would eat with a blanket over their heads and it caused more trouble than it was worth to bother)

hollie84 · 21/08/2014 20:27

What difference does men being there make?

Seriously, I've breastfed two children and have never considered the gender of people around me when feeding them Confused

Not sure if would be physically possible to keep a toddler under a cover without fuss anyway!

combust22 · 21/08/2014 20:32

rivertam, while it is true that the Breastfeeding in Scotland Bill only covers children up to the age of two, Scotland still is covered by UK discrimination laws too, which has no age restrictions. The discrimination laws support a woman's rights, while the Scottish Breastfeeding Bill covers the baby's rights. Both laws still in Scotland.

Thebodyloveschocolateandwine · 21/08/2014 20:35

It never crossed my mind not to feed my babies if they needed to be fed.

What goes it matter if men or women with head coverings are around.

A crying child is far more annoying.

Softlysoftlycatchymonkey · 21/08/2014 20:36

Seriously, I've breastfed two children and have never considered the gender of people around me when feeding them

Some people might not be as confident as you holli

Marmiteandjamislush · 21/08/2014 20:37

Just do it. There is no issue.

TheRealAmandaClarke · 21/08/2014 20:41

Agree with marmite
If kids are permitted in the session then they can be fed.

Are you worried about anyone's reaction?or now to handle it is someone makes a fuss?

DanyStormborn · 21/08/2014 20:46

If you are allowed to have a toddler in class then I think quietly feeding them so they don't fuss would be encouraged. The culture of the other women shouldn't matter as nobody should mind but if they are Muslim then "extended" breastfeeding is encouraged in Islam.

StackladysMorphicResonator · 21/08/2014 21:09

It totally depends - is it actually ok to bring a toddler into class? I'd be pretty hacked off if a fellow student brought a toddler into a class I'd paid for if they disrupted the class in any way (i.e. small noises, grabbing things, crying etc.).

If it's ok to bring a child to class then YANBU, but if it's not normal to bring children to class then I'd say YABU and disrupting the learning experience of others.

Original poster
ikeaismylocal · 21/08/2014 21:25

It's ok to bring a quiet child to class, so a 7 year old who will happily draw/read or a sleeping/quiet baby/small child.

It certainly wouldn't be ok to have a chatty active toddler in the class and I'd take him out as soon as he wanted to get down or chat.

Ds is 19 months old, he cuddles up on my knee and breastfeeds without a fuss but if I tried to cover him he'd think we were playing "tents" and start mucking about.

The course is an A-level level course but in an adult education collage. I'm not in the UK, I'm in Sweden, we have been shown films which include nudity in class so breastfeeding hopefully won't be more shocking than those films!

OP posts:
hollie84 · 21/08/2014 21:55

Sorry, don't really get your point Softly.

greenbananas · 21/08/2014 23:38

2010 equality act says you can breastfeed anywhere you need to, with no restriction on the age of the child.

QuintessentiallyQS · 21/08/2014 23:44

Not sure, some of these men wont have been in Sweden long enough to have embraced or understood Scandinavian/European/Swedish culture.

Dh got into trouble once in such a class in a similar setup when they were tasked to make a pretend call to somebody in the class, to ask for somebody else in the household. He asked for the chaps wife, and all Hell broke loose.... Even if it was just a language, phone etiquette and culture class.....

StackladysMorphicResonator · 22/08/2014 08:05

Go for it, I bet no-one will bat an eyelid - and if they do, they're being ridiculous.

Waltonswatcher · 22/08/2014 08:26

The age of the child re breast feeding and presence of men /cultural differences is irrelevant . If children do occasionally attend then just do it.

GoblinLittleOwl · 22/08/2014 08:39

I would be furious. If you are in a lesson you are in a lesson, and so is every-one else; what sort of distraction is that going to cause with a crying baby, you getting him up and fetching him, settling down to feed him, burping him etc. etc.
I attend OU tutorials, and I would be livid if someone thought it fit to disrupt the precious time we have.
Make other arrangements.
I have just read you are a student teacher. Words fail me.

gordyslovesheep · 22/08/2014 08:45

ask the rest of the class and your tutor

TerribleMother · 22/08/2014 08:59

Have you read the thread goblin? Op is a student, not teacher, so you should probably ask your words to get a grip and come back.

Also, as student's children are allowed to attend, then the taking of op's quiet, mostly sleeping or feeding baby won't be an issue.

Op's question was regarding feeding the baby during the class, not taking him with her.

kilmuir · 22/08/2014 09:03

Time to get him off the breast.

TerribleMother · 22/08/2014 09:04

Why would that be kilmuir?

MidniteScribbler · 22/08/2014 09:27

I'm not a fan of children in lectures. I remember when I was at uni and a woman insisted on bringing her child to one particular class each week. This class did at times deal with rather confronting materials and there was at times language that would be inappropriate for children and it was an absolute pain to have to censor everything that should have been discussed because someone didn't arrange childcare.

The breastfeeding I wouldn't care about or notice as long as the child was quiet, did not run around, and any classroom learning or discussions did not have to be censored because of the presence of a child in the classroom, but I would prefer the student to either give that lecture a miss or hire a babysitter for the day.

hercules1 · 22/08/2014 09:33

THe breastfeeding is irrelevant. If you are allowed to bring children then it's fine. Why on earth would this be the time to stop feeding ??!! How odd.