Amazon bars breastfeeding boss from business course

A breastfeeding boss has been barred from a business course run by online retailer Amazon because it would not let her child on to the site.

Rachael Bews said she had let Amazon know a week ahead of the in-person event at an Amazon warehouse in Dunfermline, Scotland, that she would need to take her 20-week-old baby with her as she was breastfeeding.

However, she said she was told over the phone on the train to the event that children under six were not allowed on site.

Amazon said: “We sincerely apologise to Ms Bews that our site access policy was not communicated clearly before she travelled.”

“That should not have happened, and we understand her frustration. Amazon does not permit children under the age of six on any of our fulfilment centre sites,” the retailer added.

“This is a long-standing health and safety policy that applies to all visitors and employees… We are reviewing our communications process to prevent this from happening again.”

Bews told the BBC’s The World Tonight that there was a lactation room at the event on Friday, which would have allowed her to express milk for her child.

But she said she had not planned for this, so did not have any sterilised bottles or equipment for expressing. She added that not every breastfed baby would feed from a bottle.

“All events should really have good consideration to accessibility and inclusivity for all sorts of considerations,” she said.

“It’s a challenging thing becoming a new mum, and being in business is a big part of my identity, so having access to these same opportunities is really important for me and a lot of other working and professional mums out there.”

She said she had been told she could continue with the online part of the six-week course, but she said she had missed out on “the most important things”.

“The in-person, face-to-face connections you make over coffee, the people you meet over lunch – there’s connections I could have made to maybe help my business,” she added.

For those returning to work who want to breastfeed, the NHS recommends, external telling your employer that you’re breastfeeding 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.”