Last year, a motion was passed through Union Council to help make our campus more breastfeeding-friendly. This year, we’re working alongside the University to make this happen – not only by promoting breastfeeding around campus, but also helping the affected individuals feel more comfortable doing so.

There is no need to feel pressure about breastfeeding in public; it’s a completely natural thing to do, and chances are most of the people around you were also breastfed as a baby.

81% of children born after 2010 were breastfed at birth – do you know why? Breastfeeding protects babies from infectious diseases, helps the mother and the baby to create a strong physical and emotional bond, and it's free! Especially as a student who might find themselves wanting to do so on campus, who doesn't love a good freebie?

The University has already made progress with this, and they have introduced a feeding room in the Ramsden Building that contains places to sit and relax, as well as a fridge to store any expressed milk. You can book time slots* so you are guaranteed the room at

a time you are free. This is not to say you should banish yourself to a room though, not at all!

Mothers should, and are more than welcome to breastfeed anywhere around campus, but I know most people prefer their own privacy. And just think, the more people that breastfeed in public, the more open and comfortable people are going to become with it. Recent surveys actually suggest that the majority of people don't actually mind breastfeeding in public.

As Students with Dependents Rep, one of my aims for the year is to make the campus more children-friendly and to achieve this, I need your help – just bringing your children in to University will encourage others to do so. Introducing them to your lecturers and your other course-mates will give them a better understanding as to why at times, you may not be able to show as much commitment as others, or why you have to dash off so suddenly at the end of the day.

At the very least, that should brighten up your day – all of us definitely need something to make us feel better about this horrendous weather! You’re more than welcome to pop by and say hello, introduce you and your family to us, and we can let you know and get involved with what we want to achieve for the rest of the students.

*You can book a time-slot in the Ramsden Building room by calling 01484 473 092, or emailing hhsstudentsupport@hud.ac.uk.

Nicola Edwards
Students with Dependents Rep 2015/16
Huddersfield Students’ Union