Bringing a newborn to university lectures

[Nimnuan]

I'm on a part-time university course (apprenticeship) and expecting a baby in the next few weeks. I'm not intending to take a break as any break would mean a year's delay. All classes this year my baby will be under 26 weeks old and breastfeeding.
I want to bring her to lectures with me because arranging childcare and expressing breastmilk will be much more difficult at such a young age and given the university's atrocious arrangements for expressing. Obviously if she cries or is disruptive I'll have to step out into the hallway.
I've just been told that I'm not allowed to bring my newborn to lectures because it would be a "contravention of rules and regulations". I've asked to be told which rules and regulations but haven't heard back yet.
Can you give me any advice about how to argue my case?

You can’t argue your case op, because it’s ridiculous and selfish??!

You have no case to argue - for what reason do you think it should be allowed? Purely because you don’t want to wait a year to do your course?

It wouldn't be appropriate to bring a baby to lectures.

They should provide you with access to a suitable room to express milk.

there Is no argument! You can’t take your baby along with you! People have paid to be in lectures, not be surrounded by babies.

My advice would be stop having babies in the middle of university courses.

Apart from breastfeeding I can't see what you can argue.
It's ultimately down to the Uni, there policies, and possibly insurance.
You need to wait for there response.

And ask for somewhere cleaner than a toilet to express they should be able to provide somewhere

Can you access the lectures online?

Firstly wait for them to get back to you about the rules and regulation. They’re probably looking into which ones apply. No-one can advise you on how to challenge those until you share that.

Once they send you it, you’ll need to see if it’s possible to argue they don’t apply.

They will argue it from a health and safety point of view so you could ask to see a copy of the policy perhaps ? I
should think there are a great deal of risks with a newborn around involving fire and evacuation before we get into the risk of you suing should someone injure your child accidentally.

Then I’d suggest jumping up and down screaming ‘It’s not fair waaaaaaah’ cos there’s nothing else you can or should do.

Are you planning on returning to the apprenticeship after three weeks maternity leave then?

I’d definitely complain if I was enrolled on a course and this happened. And how on earth is this feminism? FWR here is surely about the case for better childcare so women can access courses as they are designed to be accessed, like men currently can - not the case for women doing everything men do while balancing a baby on your hip too.

People aren’t giving you advice because there is no case to argue!

It goes against regulations, I’m sure there will be questions about insurance, and it’s disruptive to other students! I am a student and I know the cohort would have a lot to say if someone rocked up to lectures with a newborn

Stop being so bloody self absorbed and ask for a place to pump other than the toilets.

Are the lectures recorded? Can you watch them online?

Accessing the lectures online would be a reasonable adjustment that could be made in the situation perhaps? Then you’d only need to find childcare for the face to face elements of the course.

This tbh.

When I first read the initial post I thought it was a young woman who had an accidental pregnancy and was desperate to continue her course but hearing this is the second time, it sounds as if it was very much planned.

I remember a girl who was visibly pregnant in the first year of your uni course and it was very noticeable and unusual back then (noughties) but then I’m fairly sure she took a semester off in that first year to give birth and take care of the baby or somehow managed childcare as I do recall seeing her around post pregnancy but never ever saw the baby on campus.

Some places are not appropriate places to take newborns. It's very selfish to expect all the other students and lecturers to put up with the distraction of a baby during lectures.

If the university allows it, the university is accepting responsibility for the safety of the baby. It has a duty of care to everyone using its premises. The lecture theatres haven't been risk assessed for a baby. The other students haven't had background checks - there might be people present who are unsafe around children.

Babies tend to be disruptive and another student may sue for the failure to deliver the standard of teaching they consider they've paid for.

There is no way I would agree to this as the decision-maker and you will probably find it's contrary to the student contract you signed at enrolment/matriculation.

Can't you book a room in the library for expressing?

Once per week

I think you should be arguing for proper lactation space. There should be dedicated pumping spaces on campus for staff. The occasional student in the mix should not create a strain on that resource. If they do, more spaces are needed.

No, and they won't allow that.

I used to work at a university and they didn't allow this for health and safety plus insurance reasons. It is disruptive to other students even if the baby isn't crying, their presence makes the students aware that there's a baby in the vicinity. People have spent ££ to go to university so it's not really fair that they have to share a space with a baby.

There will be students there from large families who have to share their home with younger siblings. University might be one of the few safe adult spaces for them and you bringing your baby will change the dynamic for them.

You won’t be able to. It will be contrary to health and safety rules of the university. So it doesn’t matter how you argue it - you cannot bring your newborn baby to lectures. Where I work, all lectures are recorded. Is that an option for you?

Ultimately it’s private property and they have a right to admit or decline entry to who they want. So not sure what argument you will be able to make. I don’t believe there is any law for example which would back you up.

You’re not going to be able to argue your case. I’m sorry.

you could ask for a space to pump that isn’t the toilet.

but you can’t take a newborn to a lecture.