Tasha has been working hard to promote a breastfeeding-friendly culture on our campuses! Read more here...
As part of my Belonging and Inclusion work this year, I have been looking at how we can make campus more welcoming and accessible for students who are breastfeeding or expressing milk.
I am really pleased that we have now introduced breastfeeding-friendly spaces within our Students’ Union venues, starting with Ember Lounge.
Breastfeeding is welcome throughout our Union spaces. You do not need to sit in a particular area or ask permission. However, we know that everyone has different preferences when it comes to feeding or expressing, so we have also created a designated breastfeeding and pumping booth for anyone who would feel more comfortable using it.
We have also introduced a movable privacy screen, which has been built and branded specifically for the project. This can be used by anyone who would like some additional privacy while breastfeeding or expressing milk. It is also important to remember that someone needing these facilities may not have their baby with them. Parents may need to express milk using a pump while they are studying, working or spending time on campus.
Alongside the physical changes, information on breastfeeding and milk expression has been added to staff training so our teams understand the support available and how to make people feel comfortable using our venues.
My work is not stopping at the Students’ Union. I am currently speaking with the University about its existing breastfeeding rooms in Cadman and Catalyst, including whether students can access them using their key cards and how easy they are to find and use.
The aim is simple; I want parents on our campuses to know that they are welcome here and have options that work for them. As of today, Ember lounge (and the chaplaincy in our Stafford campus!) are breastfeeding-friendly spaces, with a designated fridge for breast milk in the chaplaincy so please use them if you need to they are there for you!