Amazon apologises after breastfeeding boss barred from bringing baby to course

Amazon has apologised after a company CEO was told she could not bring her baby to be breastfed at a course held in Dunfermline.

Rachael Bews, co-founder and CEO of Nu Coton, said she informed Amazon a week in advance that she would need to bring her 20-week-old baby to the event as she was exclusively breastfeeding.

The Amazon Innovation Accelerator event was held in Dunfermline, but the company does not permit children under the age of six onto any of its fulfilment centre sites.

The businesswoman said she was told while travelling to the course that they could not accommodate her circumstances.

It is understood that the firm has facilities in all of its buildings for women who need to express milk.

Dedicated, private lactation rooms for expressing and storing breast milk, and paid lactation breaks, are understood to be provisions for employees at work, but not for bringing an infant to the site to breastfeed directly.

Ms Bews said she had not planned for this, and did not have any sterilised bottles or equipment for expressing and that not every breastfed baby feeds from a bottle.

She said on LinkedIn: “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.

“Despite giving advance notice that I would need to breastfeed my five-month-old daughter, I received a call this afternoon – while I was already travelling – telling me they couldn’t accommodate my circumstances at the fulfilment centre where the programme is being held.

“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.”

Ms Bews said she was left in tears after spending almost £80 on train tickets, travelling across the country and arranging childcare.

“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,” she said.

“Opportunities like these shouldn’t become inaccessible simply because someone is feeding their baby.”

She added: “For context, I’d explained in advance that I’m currently exclusively breastfeeding my five-month-old daughter, so my husband and baby need to travel with me.

“The plan was for my husband to care for her elsewhere on the 1,000,000 square ft campus while I attended the workshops, so I could leave to feed her when needed. I wasn’t expecting to bring my baby into the fulfilment centre itself.”

An Amazon 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.

“Amazon does not permit children under the age of six on any of our fulfilment centre sites. This is a long-standing health and safety policy that applies to all visitors and employees.

“We recognise that this policy, combined with the late communication, meant that Ms Bews was unable to participate as planned, and we are sorry for the disruption and frustration this caused.

“We are reviewing our communications process to prevent this from happening again.”