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?

OP asked people to stop commenting on that, so what’s the point of you digging the knife in exactly? She wasn’t even the one, who wanted to share that - people went digging through her other threads.

I was picking up the comment about alcoholism and being a supportive parent.

I don’t think it’s possible.

as for the thread…, it’s about breastfeeding in a lecture hall. No I don’t think reasonable but not a thread that particularly needs lots of support?

Sorry?

How is digging the knife in to comment that alcoholism and being a supportive parent is not possible? Very odd to take such umbrage at that @ChangingWeight

but you have, so I’ll leave you to it

That was before the alcoholism revelation was revealed.

Either way, OP I hope you get whatever response is going to make your life easier. Even if not ideal, it’s not the end of the world by any stretch and if it facilitates you finishing up and sorting an independent career for yourself to support your children possibly as a single parent - then I bloody hope the uni supports you in the endeavour.

We had a similar request at my uni. We declined because we thought it would be very woolly going forward whether other children could accompany their student-parent ie ill toddlers? Newborn twins? Pre schoolers?

The uni will have likely responded to the OP by now. And I suspect the response has been negative hence the op not returning.

If you are still reading op, all the best in completing your studies. It will all be worth it.

Ah okay - I hadn’t realised this

Why is the OP more important than all the other students trying to improve their lives?

Good question.

I know people who put off having kids for years so that they could complete their university degrees. They were well aware of the university rules and chose to prioritise their course. They'd be pretty furious if the uni then breached their own policy just because someone wouldn't accept no for an answer!

I had my kids mid PhD. Not easy, but I worked around the uni rules. I certainly didn't expect the uni to change their rules for me; it was my choice to have kids, and, as an adult, I'm responsible for the consequences of those choices. I did get my PhD.

Like you did "last time"???

Have you pulled this stunt before?

I don't think anyone is going to advise you how to argue your case because 99% of us believe you are being extremely unreasonable. Having just completed a degree and post grad I would be livid if someone in my course had thought they could do this. I have a disabled child with complex care needs and am a single parent with no family to help but still I managed.

It wouldn't be advisable to expose a newborn baby to all those people, with some sure to be coughing and spluttering

Jesus, not only can you not do a 1.5h drive with a newborn (babies up to 4m need to be taken out of the car seat every 30 minutes to let them lie flat on a firm surface, like a cot or pram) but the baby will also be stuck in sensory deprivation for 10 hours?

Factoring in 2 x 15 minute break times during the car journeys, that's 14 daytime hours your baby is going to be spending being shushed and with minimal interaction from you aside from feeding when absolutely necessary.

Sorry OP but, even one day a week, this is tantamount to child abuse.

Having recently retired from a university I believe my department would have had no problem with bringing a baby to lectures. The obvious exception is of course practical sessions. Admittedly the people I dealt with were post grads, but I'd think the university probably has an inclusiveness policy.
I'd suggest sounding out your department before thinking they would refuse out of hand.

OP, haven't RTFT but have you tired "Pregnant then Screwed"?. Plus maybe move this to legal.

FWIW, my son started attending lectures at 2 weeks old until 3 months when I could get him into nursery. If you are getting pushback of be tempted to, um, wear a large pashmina! Barely any one noticed and everyone was supportive, students and lecturers.

I'm sorry you are getting such a hard time on different angles.

Reported.

She's perfectly entitled to have a baby. Would you say the same to a man who became a parent while on an apprenticeship?

they have health and safety policies that they would need to abide by. They would probably not have insurance or anything like that in place. If anything were to happen then they would automatically be at fault.

The Equality Act 2010 requires the university to make Reasonable Adjustments to prevent new mothers from being disadvantaged. A blanket ban on bringing a non-mobile, breastfeeding infant indirectly discriminates against you as a new mother, and your request is simply the adjustment needed for you to access the education you're paying for.
The issue is one of Breastfeeding and Accessibility. Newborns need to feed on demand, and expressing is not a viable substitute, especially given the university's poor facilities. By refusing a simple, temporary accommodation, they are effectively barring you from the classroom and forcing you to drop out or delay your education by a year.
Finally, Safety and Disruption are Not the Issue. A newborn, held or in a carrier, presents zero significant Health and Safety risk. Furthermore, you have committed to immediately leaving the room if she cries or causes any distraction. This clearly shows you respect your classmates' learning environment.
The university must clarify the exact rule being broken and explain why your simple, temporary request is not a reasonable adjustment under UK law.

@Bongani you are not normally allowed to bring newborns into the workplace to breastfeed them

I think you are out of order as if baby cries (which is likely) would disruption other students and lecturer. That is one of the reasons the uni says no.

Thank you for taking the time to review my message. I want to highlight that this isn't just a request for flexibility; the refusal to accommodate a breastfeeding mother is a clear case of discrimination, which the university is legally obligated to address through a Reasonable Adjustment

They provide a breastfeeding room, but I don't think it's in a convenient place for her.

@Bongani They provide a breastfeeding room. But most workplaces don't allow you to sit in your actual workplace with a new born even if you are coming in on KIT day.

How many workplaces have women sitting there with their newborn?

@Bongani could a surgeon cite discrimination if they are not allowed to carry out operations with their newborn in a sling?