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?

It might be OK! Are you this limiting when it comes to yourself? Best not try anything in case it doesn't work?

It's also not 10 hours of lectures, be accurate or your argument lacks credibility.

Pumping can be so tough, especially if not draining the breast as well as a baby. I’m sure she has her reasons ☺️

You are so entitled. Nobody else wants a baby in their lecture, but you're going to argue your case, because you're obviously the most important person on the course.

Just use childcare like everyone else has to, and stop being so selfish.

Have you ever worked as a university lecturer? Delivering a full day of teaching to a group of students ( as is the case here?)

Someone leaving due to being unwell is exceptionally rare. Students tend to wait for a break to go to the toilet (babies don't wait for a scheduled break to start crying) and regular disruption is dealt with to keep it to a minimum for the benefit of all students.

Yes, I'm sure she is capable of leaving if she needs to, but not only is that disruptive to the students and staff it means she is missing out on the taught content. If, as she suggests, the sessions aren't recorded then how does she catch up? It's just not practical for a number of reasons.
As an academic I'd be concerned about the impact on the OP and her learning.

What I mean is my own 2 kids are at uni (and paying fees) and would be annoyed if they were disturbed !

Nosy

and regular disruption is dealt with to keep it to a minimum for the benefit of all students.

As would happen here. If it's not working there's been no suggestion that OP wouldn't change her plans.

Well the institution allows babies in classrooms to be fed and the other students rallied round to support the mum who would have otherwise had to resit the year had she missed that class so it worked out in the end.

So you have no idea if the other students all agreed as there was social pressure to appear to ‘rally round’?

Once the other students had suffered disruption you mean?

Yes, poor lambs.

Sorry?
I was one of her PhD students and I can assure this is totally true!

Once they disruption has already happened and the OP misses out on important content...

It's not practical no matter how many times you try to say it. And I say that as an experienced academic.

Well I guess it doesn’t matter as legally mum was allowed to feed baby in classroom.
like I said before there are plenty more distracting things going on in lectures

Do you take that attitude to anyone who has gone into debt to try and improve things for themselves being denied a decent service?

Maybe if you had read all the posts properly you would feel differently.

I'm perfectly capable of seeing how things could be different, as (I'm sure) are most other posters. I still don't want some things to be different, and one thing I want to remain is that some places are not accessible to babies and children. Like lectures.

Yeah that wouldn’t happen now. No way a university is paying a number of staff to only look after PhD/Masters students and do no teaching at all! And have their 6 month old just sat in their office while they’re doing it!

To be fair there are plenty of staff who do no more teaching - but they do do a load of research work which they couldn’t do with a baby in the office.

Yes @Tfishappening isnt coming across… well

Let's be honest though, is OP going to leave every single time the baby is awake and fussing? If so, then she is going to be out of the room just as much as in them and jumping in and out which is going to disrupt the class as well as missing half the material.

Or is she going to stay in the room with a fussing, grizzling baby, distracting everyone else while it's making noise?

I think many students would very justifiably have a huge issue with a baby in their classes on a regular basis. It's just plain inconsiderate to everyone else who is there to learn.

This sums it up perfectly. It's not happening anyway, no way the other students will put up with this. Nor should they.

No. You can’t not bother with childcare and take your baby to all lectures. That’s not fair on others.

as a one off maybe, but YABU to plan to do so.

Yeah I realise that. I'm an academic but I still need childcare when I'm working! Research or not!

@Tfishappening do you think all women should have the option of bringing their baby/child into work rather than using some form of childcare. Childcare exists for parents who want to go back to work. Work places provide spaces for women to express milk, they provide paid maternity leave. I assume OP is having to delay some of her apprenticeship work due to maternity leave.