Alison,
I am currently helping a mom who was essentially told she cannot
continue to breastfeed her 4 month old and keep her job.  She is
scheduled to travel to another location for training, and as a
courtesy she informed her employer (who had *just* hired her) that
her husband and baby would accompany her at her own expense, so she
could nurse during breaks and at night, just as she would at home.
They said, no go, trainees are not allowed to bring family members
along, company policy.  The EEOC told her the company was correct and
she has no basis for a complaint.  (Is this so, legal Lactnetters?)
The company claims that she will have little break time or down time
during the training course and family members have been found to be a
distraction to trainees.

Actually, at first this mom was willing to wean her child in order to
attend the training, but soon found out that an abrupt weaning might
be problematic for both her and the baby.  Now, having been
challenged, she seems very committed to continuing to bf her baby
(must be that mother-bear instinct!).

She and I are both waiting for an update from the company -- she
fully expects them to terminate her.

Note that she did not ask for any extra break time or special
accomodations, she merely informed them of her intention to use her
allotted break time and personal time to continue her bf relationship
with her baby.  Apparently the company would also view her pumping
during breaks in the same dim light.

So unfortunately it is true that working women are hassled for
breastfeeding and intimidated/forced into premature weaning.

Margaret
LLLL
Longmont, Colorado

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