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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:
PoopMonster · 31/10/2013 22:12

And YY to now fantasising about swim-up bars Smile

Salmotrutta · 31/10/2013 22:12

Ah!!

Thank You BeyondTheLimits!

You are a gentleperson and a scholar.

I like the look of a swim up bar. But I would just do the bar bit - without the swimming bit.

5madthings · 31/10/2013 22:13

i have seen this on fb. i think.her mum.is a midwufe? and is supporting her in comolaining.

the lifeguatd actually said it was diagusting and distracted her from her job. they also said she couldnt feed in the cafe at the pool if a member of public co.plained. i have seen the letter the leisure centre sent and its crap, they are talking bullshit.

tiktok, and analytical armadillo have done links etc and blogs on this.

a lactating mother will leak milk anyway so there will be milk in the pool.

when a baby bfeeds it forms a seal on the breast so will not swallow pool water. infact a baby is more likely to swallow pool water when not feeding, if you were worried about babies swallowing pool water then you shouldnt let them swim ever.

re possetting, not all babies do this, some do.it straight after a feed,othrs dont. babies swimming means they may spit up in the pool, this will happen regardless of if they feed in or at the side of the pool.

many baby swim classes actually recomend you feed in the pool as its comforting and soothing to the baby, plus they can stay warm in the water rather than get out and get cold.

the mum was treated disgracefully and is right to complain.

it is illegal to stop a mother bfeeding.

Rosencrantz · 31/10/2013 22:14

I'm not surprised some people find it arousing. There's a fetish for everything, isn't there?

Wishfulmakeupping · 31/10/2013 22:15

salmo its a dirty habit I know I shouldn't but somehow I find myself scrolling down that sidebar reading about the latest kardashian drama

difficultpickle · 31/10/2013 22:17

I read that story and my first thought was what would have happened if her baby vomited (which ds did after every feed)? The pool would have had to be closed whilst it was cleaned out. There is a time and a place and I find it really odd that anyone would think a swimming pool was an appropriate place.

Salmotrutta · 31/10/2013 22:21

I'm happy to announce I have never watched the Kardashians.

I do know they are a fly-on-the-wall TV family- I am forced (forced, I tells ya) into knowing this by my pupils. Hmm.

I despair...

Strumpetron · 31/10/2013 22:33

I'm happy to announce I have never watched the Kardashians

Snap. Absolutely no interest in it

bababababoom · 31/10/2013 22:51

I've fed my baby in the swimming pool many times. Keeps her warm, and allows us to stay in the water longer when my other children aren't ready to get out but the baby is.

Nobody's ever said a word. As for the piss, they'll swallow it when they go swimming. If they're breastfeeding, they won't be drinking the water, will they? Unless I'm going to sterilise my nipple after getting out of the pool I don't see what difference it makes.

propertyNIGHTmareBEFOREXMAS · 31/10/2013 22:54

I think some people look like a firework about to go off. That would be me. I've fed my four anywhere and anywhere that the urge has taken us and if anyone had had a negative word to say it would have gone like a scene from 'Apocalypse Now'. Seriously. Tell any naysayer exactly what you think of them and carry on regardless. Fuck 'em.

Topseyt · 31/10/2013 23:13

These stories are certainly nothing new, even though it is likely to be a different woman and a different swimming pool.

I have no objection to women breastfeeding whenever and wherever, though I do think that a swimming pool is not the place. I would not eat my lunch in a swimming pool, or drink in there. I do not give food or drink to my older children in a swimming pool. Swimming pools are very heavy in cleaning and algae control chemicals. Not good for babies to take in. I don't think either breast or formula feeding are a good idea actually in the pool itself for that and other reasons.

It would also be very easy for the baby's head to slip below the water line. Pool staff would be right to be concerned about that happening, though no-one should label a breastfeeding mum as "disgusting".

DarylDixonsDarlin · 31/10/2013 23:26

During my sons swimming lesson last week, a child took a shit in the learner pool. I watched the staff fish it out. and went home and dettoled my son

Not that I would have ever breastfed a baby in there anyway. I simply get out of the pool, wrap a towel round the baby and my shoulders, and she has a quick feed in the changing room, back in the pool if she's willing. She's not a puker after feeds though, I would probably have to stay out of the water longer if she was.

LoisWilkerson1 · 31/10/2013 23:31

arousing? how sad that in this day in age they can get away with this nonsense. I BF my DD and always tried to be subtle and discreet but if some folks are comfortable just whipping them out anywhere then so be it, its not unnatural to feed a hungry baby!

misspontypine · 31/10/2013 23:39

My baby is 10 montgs old, when he sees breasts it is like an adult seeing a bowl of sweets or chrisps, he has a "hmmmm boobs.. Milk, I don't mind if I do!" look on his face. He sucks for about 30 seconds and then turns his attention to something else.

I would absolutely feed in the pool, wed never get to go swimming otherwise.

SomethingOnce · 31/10/2013 23:45

You don't eat in a swimming pool yourself do you?

No, but you might have a drink.

If it's good enough for George Michael, it's good enough for me Grin

OnemorevoiceforAF · 31/10/2013 23:53

It is illegal to stop the mother feeding her child. Equalities Act 2011.

katese11 · 01/11/2013 07:39

Onemorevoice would you invoke that act if a mother had been caught bfing while driving? The baby's head was in the water, staff were concerned. .. it's not about equality. Although they handled it in a terrible way

PatoBanton · 01/11/2013 07:48

Oh FGS. Not ONE PERSON on this thread has given a SINGLE decent reason for it being 'wrong'.

It's all 'I don't like the idea of it'

'no this is beyond the pale'

'why would anyone do that'

'I'm happy to feed anywhere anytime but I draw the line at feeding in a swimming pool- I just don't understand this'

Eh?

Good reason not to anyone? Please?

At times like this I feel genuinely shocked at how similar MN can be to the DM reader demographic, and it makes me want to cry.

PatoBanton · 01/11/2013 07:49

Breastfeeding while DRIVING would be stupid and dangerous.

Breastfeeding while standing or sitting near or in a pool would not.

CRITICAL DIFFERENCE

KirjavaTheCorpse · 01/11/2013 07:53

'cause it would be uncomfortable for me. That's a good enough reason for me, personally. I'd prefer a chair.

But anyone else is free to crack on, don't give a flying fruit.

Cabrinha · 01/11/2013 08:04

Just to the poster junkfoodaddict who said at 8 months they're on solids and don't feed on demand... My daughter was almost exclusively on breast feeds until she was 11 months, and still fed on demand. From day one she was little and often. No interest in solids - she'd eat half a mini yogurt all day, anything else she just played with and gummed. Weight wise, tracked her line perfectly.

I've not time to read this specific story. But I've fed by a pool - quick jump onto side, latch on, little feed - and off we go. No-one even noticed. I don't get any issue with piss or chemicals - baby has been swallowing the water surely, so what's the odds if your breast is slightly wet?

SpookedMackerel · 01/11/2013 08:11

I have bf on a chair at the side of a pool. Dd was about 8 weeks. I was wrapped in a towel, you couldn't really see anything . Nobody said anything to me.

I wouldn't have done it actually in the pool, but I don't see anything wrong with it at the poolside.

hackmum · 01/11/2013 08:23

It's quite amusing that some people seem to be more disgusted by the idea of someone breastfeeding in a pool than by someone pissing in a pool.

Lililly · 01/11/2013 08:29

Holding a BF baby whilst wearing swimwear = baby cawing to get your boobs out. It's not like going and feeding them somewhere else will cure them of this 2 mins later. They love it - boobs are hypnotic to them .
It is a shame that breastfeeding is still unusual enough to be remarkable