Mother-of-two, 26, reveals what it’s like taking her baby to university as she studies a law degree

A mother-of-two who is studying law while on maternity leave has revealed the very mixed reactions she gets from students when she arrives to class with her newborn strapped to her chest.  

Alexia Arthur, 26, from Christchurch in New Zealand, was determined to further her education after giving birth to Felix 11 weeks ago – but it hasn’t been easy. 

‘I had some boy walk past and say “She’s got her baby here, what the f*** is she doing?” but he was some 18-year-old so he probably doesn’t get it. I’m there for the same reason that he is,’ Ms Arthur told Daily Mail Australia. 

Ms Arthur, who also has a two-year-old, has been working in local government for five years but wasn’t qualified for a more senior role.  

So the 26-year-old thought maternity leave would be the perfect time to return to studying full-time, switching to part-time once she returned to work. 

‘It’s all been good and really positive, the only thing is I get a lot of people staring at me,’ she said.

The 26-year-old thought maternity leave would be the perfect time to pursue her passion so she is studying full-time currently and will then study part-time once she goes back to work (pictured with her two-year-old daughter)

She explained that although her two little ones keep her busy she found herself quickly getting bored with her time away from work and was losing sight of herself.

While Ms Arthur said her two little ones kept her busy, she found herself quickly getting bored and was losing sight of herself.   

And despite reservations about bringing Felix in with her five days a week, it had gone better than she had hoped.

 ‘I didn’t know if it was going to be okay but everyone at law school seems fine with it and he’s a very chill baby,’ she said.

‘Everyone’s really nice but the younger students definitely stare a lot. I’m breastfeeding right now so I can’t be without him anyway, I’m trying to make it work.’ 

‘Everyone’s really nice but the younger students definitely stare a lot. I’m breastfeeding right now so I can’t be without him anyway, I’m trying to make it work,’ she said 

‘Even the Dean of law told me to see her personally if I need help with the juggle struggle,’ she said 

Ms Arthur has tried to time it perfectly so that most of the time Felix is asleep during lectures and classes but occasionally she does need to breastfeed him. 

‘The university has been super welcoming. My lecturers have said I’m all good to bring him and have asked if I ever need help to ask them,’ she said.

‘Even the Dean of Law told me to see her personally if I need help with the juggle struggle and someone else emailed me the lecture notes when I was breastfeeding as I couldn’t take notes.’

All of this being said, Ms Arthur’s classes have only been going for a week so far, so it’s still all very new. 

‘Even the Dean of Law told me to see her personally if I need help with the juggle struggle and someone else emailed me the lecture notes when I was breastfeeding as I couldn’t take notes,’ she said 

Although Ms Arthur had some reservations bringing Felix in with her five days a week it has been going better than she could have hoped

She has decided that she will continue to take Felix with her to university until he’s old enough to go to daycare.

Ms Arthur said it’s amazing that her university has been so welcoming and has offered her the support she needs.  

‘I think it’s important that this is considered normal, it’s not the 1950s, we can do everything if we want to,’ she said.

‘Our Prime Minister even took her baby to the UN so it’s becoming more normal if you want to do everything, but it’s important that you have the support.

‘I don’t think I’m doing anything particularly extraordinary or amazing, I’m just doing what I want to do and that should be expected in 2019.’