Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Jury service & breastfeeding

87 replies

Catscrat · 09/02/2021 11:05

Posting here for traffic....

I had a letter a couple of weeks ago summoning me for jury service.

I asked to be excused as I’m exclusively breastfeeding (DS is 9 months old). He’s never had formula and we haven’t had any luck with bottles when I’ve tried expressing milk. I’m also not returning to work after mat leave so no childcare lined up, though I didn’t put that on the form.

Just got notification that my request has been rejected Confused and now I’m majorly panicking!

Has anyone got any experience of this?

OP posts:
OverTheRainbow88 · 09/02/2021 11:06

Oh that’s terrible, I would object to the rejected request:

shouldistop · 09/02/2021 11:07

Phone them and tell them you have no childcare, you're on maternity leave and breastfeeding a baby.
Someone just hasn't read your form correctly

FabulousIAm · 09/02/2021 11:07

This link may help www.laleche.org.uk/breastfeeding-and-jury-servic/

HaveeeeYouMetTed · 09/02/2021 11:07

No experience on this myself but could you get your midwife or HV to write a letter saying you're unable to attend? I don't know if that's an option but maybe worth a go.

AnneLovesGilbert · 09/02/2021 11:08

Contact them again and push your case. You can’t do it so and they’ll have to accept it. Sorry you’ve got this stress OP.

SimonJT · 09/02/2021 11:08

I would contact them and ask them about their creche facilities and how many breaks there will be in the case for you to feed your baby.

The penny should then finally drop.

Thehawki · 09/02/2021 11:09

Wow, yes definitely phone them it’s completely unreasonable for them to expect you to do jury without childcare! If they don’t agree then turn up with your baby saying that you have no childcare and your baby cannot eat without you, they will excuse you then.

AStudyinPink · 09/02/2021 11:10

Walk in, put the baby on your knee and get your nipple out. You’ll be excused.

Original poster
Catscrat · 09/02/2021 11:15

Thank you for all the advice! The la leche league link is good.
I’m going to ring up and ask about their childcare facilities and breastfeeding and see what they say.

OP posts:
Littlebelina · 09/02/2021 11:18

I got excused due to breastfeeding. Definitely ring them

Pinkblueberry · 09/02/2021 11:20

How odd. What do they expect you to do? Not feed your child? Take him with you? Surely not... Definitely ring and get someone who’s not an idiot to make a better decision.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 09/02/2021 11:23

@AStudyinPink

Walk in, put the baby on your knee and get your nipple out. You’ll be excused.
Ha, this is what I was thinking too (not that I've had occasion to try it)
steppemum · 09/02/2021 11:24

@AStudyinPink

Walk in, put the baby on your knee and get your nipple out. You’ll be excused.
I was going to suggest something similar!

Turn up with baby and say you can't leave them as bf.

You can then say NO to every option, except a proper staffed creche with qualified adults and breaks to go and feed.

AStudyinPink · 09/02/2021 11:28

You can then say NO to every option, except a proper staffed creche with qualified adults and breaks to go and feed.

Exactly. “Empty the court - little Jack needs his morning feed.” Can’t see it!

snugglepuff · 09/02/2021 11:31

Your baby literally can't eat without you. You need to call them and explain... whoever has looked at your request hasn't read it properly!

NachoNachoMan · 09/02/2021 11:32

I got my jury duty letter when my youngest was a few weeks old - had a toddler and a child at school. Toddler in nursery a few days a week to keep it familiar before returning to work, and I was taking and picking up the eldest from school. I was EBF to a baby which required 5 or 10 minutes feed every hour. I requested it to be postponed citing the breastfeeding and no childcare and they excused me! Never been invited since yet my brother has done it twice! Quite disappointed really 😂

Sunshineandflipflops · 09/02/2021 11:35

I was excused due to having a young baby and I wasn't even breastfeeding. This was 13 years ago but I would have expected things to have improved, not the opposite!

GeordieGreigsButtButtZoom · 09/02/2021 11:36

If you can't sort it out beforehand, turn up with the baby. I cannot see them selecting you!

Original poster
Catscrat · 09/02/2021 11:42

Thanks all, these replies made me chuckle.

Just rang up. The lady I spoke to said I didn’t put enough detail on my form and that’s why it was rejected Hmm Silly me thinking breastfeeding was enough of an excuse eh?!

I explained the situation and she said I can defer for up to a year and then see what my situation is then.

I asked what the facilities are for breastfeeding (given I breasted DD for 2+ years & anticipate doing that long with DS) and she said you can’t take a child in but they could give me a room to express in. So I could probably ask to be excused if I’m still breastfeeding and they can’t accommodate that.

So I’ve deferred for 12 months, I probably should’ve pushed for excusal but at least I don’t have to worry about it for a bit longer!

OP posts:
notalwaysalondoner · 09/02/2021 11:45

Surely by the time your child is two they can manage without being breastfed while you’re out between 9-5? Assuming that you’ll even be out that long. A lot of jury service is quite short too, just a few days. Surely by that age they could also take a bottle if you were out? I agree you should be exempt now but I think getting out of it based on breastfeeding when your child is older is unreasonable to be honest.

Original poster
Catscrat · 09/02/2021 11:46

@Sunshineandflipflops you’d think, wouldn’t you?!

@NachoNachoMan being on a jury is my worst nightmare 🙈 though to be fair in a year’s time maybe I’ll want a break from looking after a toddler haha.

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 09/02/2021 11:51

Well done OP, good result.

AStudyinPink · 09/02/2021 11:54

Surely by the time your child is two they can manage without being breastfed while you’re out between 9-5? Assuming that you’ll even be out that long. A lot of jury service is quite short too, just a few days. Surely by that age they could also take a bottle if you were out? I agree you should be exempt now but I think getting out of it based on breastfeeding when your child is older is unreasonable to be honest.

You don’t flex your child’s needs for this sort of thing. It needs to flex for the child. If the child is still feeding and that’s working in the child’s family, there’s no need for a bottle.

Twizbe · 09/02/2021 11:56

I had to give evidence in court when my eldest was about 4 months old and I was breastfeeding.

I was actually quite impressed, they had a lovely room where I could feed in private. In the court they got my evidence first so they could release me quicker. Baby slept the whole way through. It was a modern court building though so lots of access, comfy seats and a bit more family friendly.

Raindough · 09/02/2021 11:58

What are courts currently like with the pandemic/social distancing? Do jurors still attend in person or can they sit via video link?

Swipe left for the next trending thread