Would an employer be expected to allow expressing breaks for a mum feeding a 3yo?

[StealthPolarBear]

Completely out of curiosity

Think so, yes. This leaflet says it is up to the Mum how long she breastfeeds for:
www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk/en/materialforclients/downloads/leaflet_4.pdf

thanks - not sure how I feel about that!

I have to say if one of my clients asked me about this I'd say no although it does depend on the nature of the business. If she had breaks anyway and wanted to use them to express fair enough, but I can't see that the woman would have protection from direct discrimination so she'd be looking at indirect discrimination. Which means the employer could say no if they could justify it, and personally I think that a tribunal would weigh the balance in the employers favour if the business was in any way disrupted by the employee asking for the time.

Whether its right or not I think this is more likely if the child was 3 as even the WHO only says 2 years.

No, hilda, the WHO says 2 and beyond.
I bf one child to 3 and the other to 4 but can so no reason why someone should be allowed to express for a 3 year old unless they were very specific medical reasons.

Oh hilda, you are talking in general?? I disagree there! And the WHO says at least two years - that is not a cut off point.

agree rainbow - does make you think about what the "cut off" point should be - 18months??

well if the women is back at work likely the child is over 6 months.... all employees entitled to breaks, and by age 3 would have thought once at lunchtime was sufficient?

yes I agree MumNW - just wondering what the legal position would be or if this has ever happened to anyone?

I stopped expressing at 10 months for dd although had the summer holidays after that where I wasnt at work. I would guess a year would be reasonable as I doubt a child would need breastmilk during the day.

I expect it's never arisen before stealthpolarbear as I cant see how it could ever be necessary for a mother to do this. Also she would have to make it fairly public knowledge that she was bf a 3 year old and we all know how ignorant some people are not so understanding of this.

well...that's a difficult one. DD is 11 months and doesn't (although she does still have it). DS did, until about 18 months, though he did manage while I was at work.
Not sure where I stand on this.

would not could

It's such a personal thing. I know I'd have been fine after a year and 3 years is a long way off this and I had no engorgement etc but of course someone else might.

you're probably right & it's never happened!
Shall I start a test case?

You'd have to be very brave!

Would they need to express? By 2 yo the supply is so established it just adapts to whatever you do, doesn't it?

My sister used to go on week long business trips when her ds was 12-24 mo. She didn't express after the first few, thinking she would be OK to stop bfing if her supply dried up. In fact, though, she found that she was a little engorged for the first day, but then was fine until she got back, at which point her ds happily resumed bf.

In fact one time she realised she was lactating again on the plane back home!

No, you almost certainly wouldn't need to, but what if you did? Or claimed you did?

I can't really see a situation where this would arise? By 3 a child won't be feeding the whole time like a tiny baby - my children have both been on one feed a day by 14mo and it fits around work very easily. If it gets missed for a day or even 2 I can just pop them back on and off we go again.

What sort of situaiton would this happen? I can only think of someone away for long periods - but then surely expressing in the morning/evening would be enough?

I agree, it probably wouldn't, but what if it did? Some women do feed on demand until their children are quite old, what if they start a new job when the child is 3?>

Generally I would say no, an employer shouldnt be expected to for a 3 year old. However, there should be a clause in there for individual circumstances e.g medical reasons.

I went back to work when ds was 3 and carried on feeding till he was 4. I had never expressed for him previously and it never occured to me to do so. He simply didnt need it.

Fair enough - think I might be thinking too hard!!
I am in the position where DD might well self wean before DS stops feeding (he is 3y3m, she is 11m). Just would love to know what would happen!

I also dont think that at 3 you are actually able to demand feed as you would a baby unless you are sitting at home all day.

It would be fine but an interesting question.

why? i demand fed DS when i was with him until 2