I am hoping that you wise women can give me some advice about how to handle an upcoming situation.
Here is the background:
My DH and I are expecting in early April. I have a 9 year old who I breastfed for years and I am very much looking forward to nursing again. I went back to college for a second degree, and this semester is my final semester. I will have about 6 weeks of school left when the baby comes. It is not an option for me to put off school for a year (and honestly, I would have the same dilemma then).
The university does not have a breastfeeding policy. They do have a pumping room near the parent's center, but there is nothing that I can find about breastfeeding in class. My plan was to bring the baby with me and have help outside the classroom (my DH or mom) so that I could nurse but also be mindful of the disruption some people feel a baby is.
However, the class syllabus came out today and there is a new section that says :"Children & Pets:
Children and pets are not allowed in seminar, professional operations, simulation, and any testing sessions." I have been in school for 4 years and read many syllabi and this has NEVER been said in one before. I think it might be that there are several women having babies this term (6-8) and they are trying to stop people from bringing babies to class.
So, I checked my state law to see if that might help and it says: "A mother may breast-feed in any location, public or private, where the mother and child are otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether the nipple of the mother's breast is uncovered during or incidental to the breast-feeding." It seems to me that if they are banning the baby then his law doesn't apply.
There is a complaints process within the university, and I am thinking about using it, but I want to give some thought first to what the best approach might be. Any advice? I was already worried about balancing the end of the semester with a new baby and being postpartum... I just don't know what to do now. Just to add insult to injury... it is an all women's college and I am getting a healthcare degree
Here is the background:
My DH and I are expecting in early April. I have a 9 year old who I breastfed for years and I am very much looking forward to nursing again. I went back to college for a second degree, and this semester is my final semester. I will have about 6 weeks of school left when the baby comes. It is not an option for me to put off school for a year (and honestly, I would have the same dilemma then).
The university does not have a breastfeeding policy. They do have a pumping room near the parent's center, but there is nothing that I can find about breastfeeding in class. My plan was to bring the baby with me and have help outside the classroom (my DH or mom) so that I could nurse but also be mindful of the disruption some people feel a baby is.
However, the class syllabus came out today and there is a new section that says :"Children & Pets:
Children and pets are not allowed in seminar, professional operations, simulation, and any testing sessions." I have been in school for 4 years and read many syllabi and this has NEVER been said in one before. I think it might be that there are several women having babies this term (6-8) and they are trying to stop people from bringing babies to class.
So, I checked my state law to see if that might help and it says: "A mother may breast-feed in any location, public or private, where the mother and child are otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether the nipple of the mother's breast is uncovered during or incidental to the breast-feeding." It seems to me that if they are banning the baby then his law doesn't apply.
There is a complaints process within the university, and I am thinking about using it, but I want to give some thought first to what the best approach might be. Any advice? I was already worried about balancing the end of the semester with a new baby and being postpartum... I just don't know what to do now. Just to add insult to injury... it is an all women's college and I am getting a healthcare degree