Returning to work while breast feeding

[Universal]

I'm due to return to work soon but still breast feeding at the moment and plan to continue. I've asked for my employers policy which covers this issue but it's one line - 'speak to your manager who will carry out a risk assessment'.
Does anyone have any experience of this or could let me know my rights?

Argghh I've just ignored a call from my manager! Talk about timing! Please if anyone can help share their knowledge I'd be very grateful.

Hi, I think employers have to provide a room for you to express milk in.

How old will your baby be when you go back?

I have gone back when my baby is nearly six months, and I express in my office. I'm pretty sure that you need to be provided with a space to express and access to a fridge.

I take a couple of large freezer bags to store my pumping kit in between expressing sessions, and keep it all in a large labeled paper bag in the fridge. I think I take about 20mins per session, but I am at my desk so I can still do some work. If you were in a separate room, I guess you could take work with you if that were appropriate.

I continued but didn't express at work. I returned on informal flexible hours so I could feed before work and leave the office like a scalded cat at 5pm to be home by 6pm to feed then. Then did a feed around 10.
I agreed this on the basis that it would be short term as I intended to wean gradually between 6-9 months, and I would log in and work again at night. Work were fine with it [well - they didnt object to my stated plans anyway ] and I have made similar arrangements with BF'ing staff reporting into me in the past.

On KIT days I used the on site prayer room to express as it could be booked and locked from the inside. It was a pain though.

Thank you for your responses. Basically my office is my car as I work out in the community. I was hoping that my manager would allow me time to go home to express once a day and agree to me being able to leave at 5pm.
My concern is the lack of policy around this. I work in a female dominated industry so I can't be the first person to b/f while working!
Is there a website or anyone can recommend with specific details of what they should provide?
Thanks again.

Not having a written policy can actually work in your favour. In my experence people are very reticient to agree to anything formal which has been put through a HR process as it's a) usually a huge hassle and b) can then become something they HAVE to comply with.

I would start by simply making a statement about what you intend to do and how you plan to make up the time. Also, what you can do to cater for unplanned emergencies in your situation.

Re the car - you wouldn't have an issue BFing a child in it, so I'd just express there and not have the faff of going home. Put the milk into a cool bag or drop it off at home if you are nearby.

Leaving at 5 - there were no objections when I said how long I planned to do it for. I didn't take a lunch hour for months and just booked my diary out every day from 5pm to keep it clear but it was fine. Can you plan your own day or is there someone centrally booking your appointments who might sabotage you at 4.30pm ?

The Maternity Action organisation have a useful factsheet on their website that explains your rights.

There is also new ACAS guidance that came out at the beginning of the year.

Sorry, I'm not doing links as I'm on my phone but a quick google will get you to both.

It is good employer practice to give you allowances and provisions but the UK law is pitiful. There is no requirement to give you a room, timed expressing breaks or much of anything. It's interesting that many people imagine we have more rights than we have.

The ACAS guidance spells out the law and it's depressing reading.

Decent employers realise that meeting employee needs helps employee retention and motivation but in law your rights are shocking.

Can I add that when the bill for shared parental leave was going through parliament, Maternity Action (along with many of the breastfeeding charities) met with government and tried to put pressure on them to include the right to breastfeed/ express at work.

In the USA, they have the right to 'reasonable breaks'. Plenty of European countries go MUCH further.

The government (the minister was the Lib Dem Jo Swinson) refused. The request to ask ACAS to write 'guidance' from the floor of parliament was their idea of a compromise. A joke.

If this issue matters to you, now is a good time to write to mps and ministers as manifestos for next year are being written.

What age will your baby be?

Thanks so much everyone. Baby will be six months.

I manage a couple of very challenging people and dread their reaction. Silly I know. I've already been in a senior management meeting when bf ing was sniggered at so feel very anxious about the whole thing. I obviously view it as normal but every now and again other peoples reactions - public and private - surprise me.

You shouldn't need to, but it sometimes helps to be able to say that because of a dairy/lactose allergy, you have to continue to BF. It makes it more of a medical necessity than a "lifestyle choice" when people view it as a way of skiving off work.....

Or snigger like teenagers. Oh dear - they sound charming. A hard stare until they grow up and get embarrassed is usually enough there. Whatever you do, DO NOT adopt any sort of apologetic tone about continuing to BF and requiring time to express/be home on time. Be matter of fact - it will work much better.