Nursing mothers on mat leave, not allowed baby at work's Christmas lunch

[squins]

Ironically, I work in the social inclusion department of a large organisation. I'm on maternity leave and feel like I've been excluded from the Christmas lunch party this year as I'm not allowed to take my two month old baby due to 'health and safety' issues. The event is at a pub which allows babies and children, the decision not to allow them came from my work's management...not from the pub. I cannot leave babe, as I'm breastfeeding and my partner has to work.
There are only four other women who are on maternity leave, who also cannot make the event.
My line manager and colleagues are all in support of me and cannot understand management's problem.
Just how discriminatory is this? how far can I push my query into why I can't bring the baby? It's just lunch in a pub with good friends and colleagues.

One advantage of work not paying for public sector Christmas dos is that they are definitely non-working events (senior managers usually cover the drinks) and therefore people on mat leave and babes in arms have been most welcome.

I have great photos of ds aged 4 months being passed around my colleagues in a pub. When I went to meet them in the office, though, security did warn me that I was bringing the baby in at my own risk and he couldn't have a visitors pass.

They were great colleagues though - if they hadn't been, I wouldn't have bothered going.

Wow. Had to check the date, it is still the 21st century. Bizarre to see people implying that women on mat leave aren't really proper employees and should be grovellingly grateful for even being invited to an official work Christmas event.

What were you thinking OP? Get back in your place woman, and be grateful, bitch!

FFS.

I am struggling to accept that some of these replies are from women! And mothers at that!!
The OP does NOT have to be grateful to be invited on the Xmas lunch. She could sue if they hadn't invited her. Work must keep in touch and all job opportunities, training and social events must be sent to the employee for them to decide if they want to go or not.
Babies in meetings are unusual yes, but not unheard of or never allowed. We are allowed to bring our kids to team meetings if we are coming in on a non working day without any problem. We work for an LA.
And a Christmas lunch isn't work. It is generally done on staff lunch time so not when they are paid to be working and it's no different from meeting your baby (with its carer) on your lunch break.
We have happily had babies and toddlers at our Christmas meals and always will allow it.
I'm in agreement with the pp who asked if we were in the 21st century or not! This thread is outrageous.

So how can it be discriminatory if she isn't meant to be there in the first place WTAF

Im genuinely shocked at some people seeming to think that the OP shouldn't be there at all let alone the baby. Its Maternity leave, she hasn't actually left the company.

Sorry OP, not sure about the baby thing though.

If colleagues all love babies and want to coo over them fine. But not everyone is like this. Why can't people accept that not everyone wants babies and children at adult social events.

But if one person's preference for childfree means that a colleague cannot attend at all, then frankly, they should accept that they don't get their preference this time because it's a work sponsored event, not a personal one and inclusion is important.

Events like a work Christmas lunch can be much, much more significant to someone on mat leave who isn't getting the chance to see everyone daily. For me, and colleagues, it's been a very important part of feeling connected to the workplace, being able to catch up with colleagues, maintain relationships, get an informal idea of what's going on at work etc.

Ah yet another shining beacon of the support for bf mothers and their young babies.

I am all for breastfeeding and I bf my own.

But I am sick of being at work or going to work events and colleagues kids being there.

It's unprofessional and distracting. I leave my kids at home so why shouldn't you?

I understand that this is slightly different as its a social event but if I get out the house and pay for a babysitter then the last thing I want to do is go and look at somebody else's baby over dinner.

When I was on mat leave, I went to the work xmas dinner and expressed for DP to feed DD.

Wow, kids always come to ours, we get a special invitation for them on mat leave, would never have realised it wasn't the same everywhere!

Shocked at the responses here.