A mother of three is urging the Government to change the law to allow breastfeeding parents paid time off work to feed their baby or express milk for them. Rachael Bews has put forward a petition urging political leaders to introduce a statutory right to paid breastfeeding and expressing breaks, together with suitable workplace facilities.
Rachael says that without this right, some mothers are being forced to choose between breastfeeding their child and earning a living. The entrepreneur started her Don’t Make Me Choose campaign after being prevented from attending a professional development programme as she could not bring her then five-month-old daughter, who at the time she was breastfeeding.
Campaign aims to remove practical barriers
Ms Bews, from Edinburgh, said her campaign was "not about asking for special treatment". "It is about removing a practical barrier to health, equality and workforce participation," she explained.
Her petition, which has been lodged with the UK Parliament, notes that "breastfeeding parents in the UK have no statutory right to paid breastfeeding or expressing breaks at work". This, it claims "forces many to choose between feeding their baby and participating fully in work".
Petition nears 10,000 signature threshold
If more than 10,000 people sign it, the Government will be forced to respond, while more than 100,000 signatures in support would see the issue considered for debate in the Parliament. So far, the petition has 1,741 signatures.
Ms Bews, the founder of the Nu Coton marketing agency, insisted: "No woman should have to choose between breastfeeding her baby and earning a living. Yet that is the choice our current system creates."
She continued: "I began this campaign after being prevented from taking part in a professional opportunity because I needed to bring my breastfed baby. Since speaking publicly, I have heard from women who have expressed milk in toilets, weaned earlier than they wanted to, lost income, turned down opportunities or left work altogether."
Government urged to back breastfeeding rights
Rachael added: "The Government encourages women to breastfeed, but our workplace law does not give them a clear right to the time and facilities that make it possible. This campaign is ultimately about the barriers that force people, particularly women, to choose between opportunity and how they want to feed their child."
The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
