Amazon has apologised after Rachael Bews, co-founder of Nu Coton, was told she could not bring her breastfed baby to a business course at an Amazon fulfilment centre in Dunfermline, Fife. Ms Bews had informed the company in advance that she would need to breastfeed her five-month-old daughter during the day.
Woman's Account of the Incident
In a LinkedIn post, Ms Bews said she received a call from Amazon while already travelling to the course, informing her that the company could not accommodate her circumstances. “I assumed they’d be able to accommodate me breastfeeding my baby during the day, with my husband caring for her nearby so I could fully participate,” she wrote. “I completely understand the need for strict health and safety rules in an active industrial environment. But the practical outcome is that I can’t take part on the first day because there isn’t a workable way for me to breastfeed my baby during the programme.”
Amazon's Response
An Amazon spokesperson stated that the company provides paid lactation breaks, flexible scheduling, and dedicated private lactation rooms for expressing milk. “However, for health and safety reasons, we are unable to allow children under the age of six on any of our fulfilment centre sites,” the spokesperson said. “We sincerely apologise to Ms Bews that our site access policy was not communicated clearly before she travelled to the event. That should not have happened, and we understand her frustration. We are reviewing our communications process to prevent this from happening again, and have invited her to join us at a future event.”
Impact on the Businesswoman
Ms Bews had planned for her husband to care for their daughter elsewhere on the Amazon campus while she attended workshops. She intended to leave to feed her baby when needed and did not expect to bring the baby into the fulfilment centre itself. She had already spent almost £80 on train tickets and was travelling to the Dunfermline campus when she was told about the policy. “I burst into hot, sweaty tears,” she said on LinkedIn. “I’ve packed for myself and my three children. Arranged childcare. Arranged pet sitting. We’ve travelled the length of the country, and now I can’t participate. Is this really where we are in 2026?”
Call for Change
Ms Bews added: “I’d love to see more organisations think about how leadership programmes and accelerators can be made accessible to breastfeeding parents, and those with care responsibilities generally. Opportunities like these shouldn’t become inaccessible simply because someone is feeding their baby.”
