Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

I did not breastfeeed either of my children, but I was shocked!

104 replies

Caff2 · 31/10/2013 20:47

A lady breastfed her daughter by the side of a swimming pool, and was told it was offensive by an employee. So far, so rubbish, from one employee, but the comments in the newspaper in question run to hundreds talking about public breast feeding being "wrong", "unnatural" and even "arousing"!!!

Okay, it was the Daily Mail, but really? People think like this?

OP posts:

PatoBanton · 31/10/2013 20:49

Oh we had this a few months back, there was a mahooosive thread about it. Is it the same story?

I believe sadly that people do think like that. Ridiculous isn't it.

OMFGShockHorror · 31/10/2013 20:49

Sadly yes.

I've breastfed my daughter in a swimming pool. No one noticed.

LaGuardia · 31/10/2013 20:50

Public swimming pools are made up of 10% piss. Would you want to eat a meal in piss?

Original poster

Caff2 · 31/10/2013 20:50

Utterly mental. What do they think breasts are for? (I didn't manage to use mine properly, but I do get what they're there for in theory!)

OP posts:

SteamWisher · 31/10/2013 20:51

Anyone who find bf arousing clearly hasn't bf and certainly not bf a newborn

Anyone who thinks it unnatural is stupid.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 31/10/2013 20:51

LaGuardia Well technically it was by the side of some piss

SteamWisher · 31/10/2013 20:52

LaGuardia

Strumpetron · 31/10/2013 20:54

I am completely pro-breastfeeding and I've helped raise money to help raise awareness, but I don't think a swimming pool is the place to feed a baby. You don't eat in a swimming pool yourself do you?

This was also debated on a midwifery forum I go on, some of the women on there are EXTREME breastfeeding advocates and even they said it was a bit

The comments are completely wrong, it isn't dirty or sexual or to breastfeed in public, but a swimming pool isn't the place. Not clean for the baby for one, too many chemicals and god knows what bodily fluids floating about.

KirjavaTheCorpse · 31/10/2013 20:56

I wouldn't and didn't breastfeed in or at the side of the pool.

Mainly because it would be bloody uncomfortable . I don't know how people do it, I get a proper backache if I'm not in a chair or laying down.

Wrt to the 'arousing' comments, there's a tickle for everyone's todger. I'm not surprised.

Strumpetron · 31/10/2013 20:58

I don't understand how it's arousing. It's a beautiful thing seeing the pure bond between mother and baby, not bloody arousing

Although did you know there's actually a fetish for this

junkfoodaddict · 31/10/2013 20:58

I breastfed for a month, had 'issues' and had to give up. I happily support breastfeeding and am giving it another go with DC2 BUT the swimming pool is just not the place. I think the top comment in the mail pointed out that you wouldn't let your older child eat their dinner in the pool so why is acceptable for a baby? To add, I didn't agree with the 'put it away you weirdos' comment. That just showed ignorance.
Also, this is an 8 month old child who is on/should/probably solids so therefore not 'feeding on demand' which is different - trickier and unpredictable. If the baby was likely to be demanding, a quick feed in the changing room would have been better.
But I think the point she was making was that the lifeguard found it 'offensive' which is just mind-boggling, medieval, ignorant and shows a lack of intelligence and education. For that reason alone, an apology, retraining and a breastfeeding policy is needed at the leisure centre otherwise i wouldn't set foot in the place!!!

Vivacia · 31/10/2013 20:59

Public swimming pools are made up of 10% piss

How did you reach that estimate?

TheFabulousIdiot · 31/10/2013 20:59

It's a new story and she wasn't in the pool. Someone compared it to wiping their arse. I believe the pool worker called t disgusting. Do they not get training re the law any more?

Strumpetron · 31/10/2013 21:01

Not sure how wide a scope they'd have to cover of law to work in a pool op? They can't be blamed for ignorance in the law BUT the comments were bang out of order.

Strumpetron · 31/10/2013 21:01

It's not a new story is it? I read this months ago.

Mia4 · 31/10/2013 21:02

Do you mean the one from today? The lady admitted, after the pool stated that they had cctv, that she was bf in the pool - not by the side as she first claimed-with the baby's head in or on the water line which was a big health and safety risk for the pool. Yes, she shouldn't have been told it was offensive that was a stupid and inappropriate word to use but a baby with it's head in the water while feeding is a health and safety risk and unhygienic for the poor baby and if it is sick then also for those in the pool.

Considering she's already backtracking about where she was feeding, it makes me wonder about her whole story. Especially for someone who says she was very embarrassed about the whole situation yet goes straight to the mail about it.

TheFabulousIdiot · 31/10/2013 21:03

Yes it is a new story. This is the third one in as many months I think.
These damn breastfeed ears, daring to feed their babies how dare they. Particularly those who must be on solids.

For information many babies are still fed on demand despite being on solids and the recommended age to breastfeed is at least two years.

Igloofornow · 31/10/2013 21:05

I've BF 3 DC to 1+ and despite lots of swimming never fed them next to a pool. You wouldn't FF on the side of a swimming pool, it would hurt my back, my boob would be half in half out my cossie and surely baby would get cold?

It is probably the least pleasant environment I can think off, and I've fed in plenty odd places.

Unless it was on a sunlounger at the side of the pool in a heat wave?

BlingBang · 31/10/2013 21:05

I Bf everywhere but the story I remember was the mum who wanted to Bf in the pool - staff in that in stance were right to say no.

CoffeeTea103 · 31/10/2013 21:07

In the pool is not the place. Saying it was offensive is wrong, but asking her to get out the pool is right.

Tweasels · 31/10/2013 21:08

I'm in two minds about this. On the one hand I think you should be able to feed a baby whenever, wherever. On the other hand I just don't get why you'd need to feed your baby in a swimming pool. If your baby is hungry, just get out and sit on the side or something.

Figgygal · 31/10/2013 21:11

The pool isn't the place for bf she was wrong to do it and wrong to lie about how/ where she was doing it.

The staff were wrong too though for the reasons they asked her to stop

Raddy · 31/10/2013 21:13

I was massively squirty when breastfeeding, so there's no way I would have fed on a poolside as I would have been spraying milk into the pool.

I have to say, I don't really get why the woman in this case had to feed her baby at the poolside. Why not sit in the changing room? She didn't have older dcs to watch.

OvaryAction · 31/10/2013 21:17

Imagine the people filling up the pool, "whoa steve, don't fill it to the top, you've got to allow 10% for all the piss"

MrsTerryPratchett · 31/10/2013 21:20

If you can have a swim up bar, you can BF in a pool. Possibly. I just want to be at a swim up bar.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Swipe left for the next trending thread