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?

What's your point? How is that relevant to the debate?

Plan A: Remote attendance if uni will permit (work is okay with this option)
Plan B: Bring 2-week old to lectures, sit near the door, leave quietly for any disruption/crying.
Plan C: Go back to uni at 2-weeks postpartum leaving baby with family member, express every two hours in the toilets because that's currently the best available option (possibly will be able to use a classroom closer to lectures, will ask), be miserable for a few months.
At 8 weeks with my last baby, even using the toilets right outside the lecture hall, I seriously struggled with expressing due to the time it takes and it got really painful if the break was delayed at all. It's a lot easier to express/be separated from ~3months old.

And not only have you dedicated yourself to the thread, you seem to be getting quite agitated and angry about it.

Maybe a walk and some fresh air?!

Plan A: Remote attendance if uni will permit (work is okay with this option)

apologies if I missed but have you asked this and now waiting for a response?

Asked in previous pregnancy and was refused. Drafting a new request/follow up now. Should have the question in by COP today.

Ah. You're doing that thing where you make comments about how I must be very 'angry' so you can try and shut down any disagreement. Gotcha.

Kind of proves my point

I have very little interest in his this plays about, just a mild curiosity more about your dedication and growing anger

Bollocks.

"UK university students who are breastfeeding have the right to express milk or breastfeed on campus due to discrimination legislation under the Equality Act 2010, which protects against discrimination based on pregnancy and maternity. Universities have a responsibility to provide suitable facilities, but students may need to proactively communicate with their department or the university's student support services to arrange this and discuss their needs."

Not necessarily. My course most modules the assessments are an assignment on one aspect of the module. It would be perfectly possible to write an assignment without attending any lectures. We don't just "teach to the test".

The rest of the sessions while they might not be necessary for the assessment are still important for knowledge. But I teach on a health care degree where it's mandated by the NMC that students have to do x amount of theory hours so we are quite strict. For example if a student misses too many sessions I won't let them attend placement as I will make a decision they're not safe to go to placement regardless of their grades.

Would be interesting to know if the OP was on a health course, ie a nursing apprentice. Just because you have written a good essay doesn't mean you know everything you should know.

I don't know what you're quoting but here's a couple examples from where I live...

Students are required to have in place appropriate childcare arrangements and not bring children into their workplace for extended or frequent periods. Informal short visits to make arrangements for work or childcare are permitted, however children must not be admitted into laboratories, workshops, lecture theatres, tutorial rooms seminar rooms, computer labs, kitchens, plant rooms or other hazardous areas. (https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/students/doc/new-parent-expectant-persons-students.pdf)

Directly before, or as soon as practical after your return, you should meet with your Personal Development Tutor to ensure that appropriate academic support is provided, and any necessary adjustments are made to facilitate a smooth return to your programme of study. Students are reminded that it is not permitted to bring children into classes. (https://documentcentre.napier.ac.uk/-/media/files/student-lifecycle-and-journey/health-and-wellbeing/guidanceforstudentsonmaternitypaternityandadoption.pdf)

I assume they can’t stop breastfeeding in communal areas such as canteens, as that would be illegal. But certain areas like labs would be off limits as children wouldn’t t be allowed there anyway, so no discrimination issues

Don’t you have practicals?

Op don’t get distracted arguing on mumsnet when you’re drafting your email request!!

No, we have a portfolio of evidence which is things like redacted documents produced at work, screenshots of email negotiations, etc.

Happy to stand corrected here @Nimnuan but i thought OP didn't want to express in the toilet like she had to last time...and reported logistical issues like an approximate 15 minute walk requiring a special key to get to the room available for expressing which would mean she would be missing about an hour of the lecture each time she expressed. She also has reported that last time she had to pump every 1.5 hrs although as you've said yourself @Tfishappening what happened last time is not a reflection of what will happen this time.

When someone commented on a handsfree pump that they used OP commented back saying thank you and she would look into it. So i took that to mean that she would be open to expressing but the set up didn't quite work the first time around.

Certainly expressing would be a good plan B in the event that remote lectures aren't allowed and the baby isn't allowed in the lecture theatre with her. I think it's useful to think of all possible challenges and solutions to them rather than being hopeful that the OP will get what she wants here. It would be great for her if she does but if she doesn't then she needs to make a plan and what she has made very clear is that she definitely doesn't want to defer the course. If it was a choice between not attending at all and deferring for a year or expressing for 10 days in as many weeks i think OP would prefer the latter.

Apprenticeship levy funded, through my employer. Same situation for probably 80% of the class or so at a guess.

Not yet, no.

No, I've got a lot to wrap up at work in the next few weeks!

Doesn't take very long to send a quick message, and I've got some useful information so far. Drafting a proper response takes longer.
Don't worry, I've got plenty done today 😂