Rachael Bews, founder of the Nu Coton marketing agency, has called for a change in the law so breastfeeding parents can have paid time off work to feed their baby or express milk. Her petition urges the UK Government to bring in a statutory right to paid breastfeeding and expressing breaks, together with suitable workplace facilities.
Campaign launched after missed opportunity
The entrepreneur, who has three children, started her Don’t Make Me Choose campaign after being prevented from attending a professional development programme because she could not bring her then five-month-old daughter, who she was breastfeeding at the time.
Rachael, from Edinburgh, said: “No woman should have to choose between breastfeeding her baby and earning a living. But that is the choice our current system creates.”
Petition lodged with UK Parliament
Her petition, lodged with the UK Parliament, notes that “breastfeeding parents in the UK have no statutory right to paid breastfeeding or expressing breaks at work”. It claims this “forces many to choose between feeding their baby and participating fully in work”.
If more than 10,000 people sign it, the Government will be forced to respond, while more than 100,000 signatures would see the issue considered for debate in Parliament.
NHS advice for returning mothers
For those returning to work who want to breastfeed, the NHS currently recommends telling your employer before your first day back. It says: “If you're returning to work, education, or training after having a baby, you might wonder whether you can continue breastfeeding your baby. The answer is yes, it's completely possible and many women do it.”
The UK Government has been contacted by the Press Association for comment.
