To wonder what people really think about breastfeeding at a swimming pool?

[loveolives]

It seems to be coming up a lot in the news recently. Well, twice that I can think of. I breastfed my first child until 16 months and currently feeding my second at 7 months. I happily feed in public whenever and where ever, albeit discreetly. I took my daughter swimming during the week and couldn't imagine feeding her in the pool or at the poolside. AIBU to think that doing so may generate .. attention?

[cjel]

THOHH I don't know where you got that impression from? My house has playroom and shed for dgcs toys.I have 17 neices and nephews, 14 great neices and nephews, 2 dcs and 5 dgs. I have lifeguards, pool manangers, Nursery Manager and childrens swimming teachers in my close (within 3 miles) family and also run a toddler group. They are not my rules. I am just saying that it isn't a case of being anti bf. I BF both of mine for 18months and dd when a teenage mum was asked to give a talk to anti natal group on BF.

Thanks NOTANYMORE but I can assure anyone here I am not against babies and the rules are the councils not my families.
Sounds to me like the BF mafia are bored this evening

[notanyanymore]

Ooh I think you're being really harsh on cjel she never said its her opinion that should happen (in fact I think she said she didn't!) Only that in her experiences of the industry that is what happens if someone pukes in a pool. Don't give her such a hard time!

[TheHouseonHauntedHill]

Sounds like your family have a bit of a thing against babies in general cjel.

[5madthings]

cjel what is your point? yes puke in the pool can be a pain. all babies can puke regqrdless of how and where they are fed. unless you are going to ban babies from swimming there is nothing you can do. bfeeding in or at the pool doesnt make a difference.


at many pools if they get poo in the pool they just fish it out they dont evacuate the pool so a tiny bit of baby possett is neither here nor there. they recomend bfeeding in swimming clases for little ones and lots of times i have seen babies purp up/posset a bit of milk, some bottlfed, some breastfed and they have never evacuated the pool for that.

oh and wee is not sterile once it as out of the bladder as soon as it passes into uretha etc it is no longer sterile so yes ut can have bugs ans germs in it. that is why pools have chlorine in them.

pools get sweat, snot, poo,wee, skin etc in them hence pools have chlorine in and most pools have a continuous filtering system in them to keep them clean(bug free).

[cjel]

THOHH thats hardly the point is it- one is enough- Why should other have their training /fun/ lesson cancelled because of something that could be avoided.? also know of someone who is now paralysed for diving in shallow end - he didn't think rules were necessary either.

[TheHouseonHauntedHill]

I wonder how many BF mothers take their massively vomiting babies swimming

[Squidwardtenticles]

I breast fed my 3 children anywhere i felt comfortable. A swimming pool wouldn't be one of those places.
Sometimes i think we're a tad too pc.

[misspontypine]

My ds pukes anytime between 30 mins and 2 hours after a feed (he still does this at the grand old age of 10 months.) The time right after a feed is the "safe" time.

[OMFGShockHorror]

Depends where you are OP and depends on the people around you. In my case YABU as any time I have fed IN a swimming pool (of which I have done many times) no one has batted an eyelid.

[cjel]

Thats not all babies though and I for one don't want my dcs visit to a pool spoilt because they can't go in the water because its closed because of vomit in the water.

[TheHouseonHauntedHill]

A tiny bit of baby vomit would never bother me, nor mothers milk.

What about the un washed masses in the pool with all sorts from all areas being liberated by the water.

[TheHouseonHauntedHill]

My baby has projectiles twice in the whole of its first year and has never been sick even a tiny bit after feeding, I have never used a bib yet, nor a muslin.

[cjel]

thohh - The breastfeeding is good its the vomit in the water that isn'tx

[TheHouseonHauntedHill]

Quote

Brilliant post, agree with every word.

Stop inflicting your bent perceptions on people with small babies who want to feed them as nature intended!

[cjel]

Yes Really!!! If no one notices maybe, but if it is noticed it has to be cleaned. Not my Rules also wee has no germs and will go through cleaning and sterilising process whereas solid won't - I am also aware that not all sick is solids but as I said not my rules!!!

[jellybeans]

It wouldn't bother me at all. Let them feed their baby wherever they like including a pool. What's the big deal!

[notanyanymore]

why is baby piss ok, but baby puke isn't? the piss leaks out of swim nappies, it only holds in the poo, and even then its touch and go as baby poo tends to pretty 'loose'.

[5madthings]

cjel babies are often sick regardless of whether they have been fed recently or even fed in the pool. If you don't want to take that risk you would have to ban all babies from swimming.

Many swim teachers who do baby classes recomed feeding them in the pool.

I can see with a full on projectile vomit yes you wouldnhave to evacuate pool and clean, but a little bit of posset, probably happens loads and no one even notices.

[notanyanymore]

really cjel ? wow. i've never experienced anything like that, not even when I puked in the pool!

[cjel]

Having a family of leisure centre managers and workers, I can tell you how many people are inconvenienced by babies sick in the water, The whole pool has to be evacuated for ages while it is clean, Its the same with people who don't use swim nappies 'because they never go at this time of day'

The objections have nothing to do with feeding.

[redshifter]

What greenbananas, quoteunquote and fortydoors said

[fatlazymummy]

I would be amazed if I saw someone breastfeeding in a swimming pool. But then, to me, the clue is in the name. Swimming pools are for swimming in, not standing around breastfeeding. Perhaps it would be different if it was one of those leisure type kiddie pools, but then I've never been in one of them, so I can't really tell.
And no, I don't have hang ups about other women breastfeeding. It's just I've never come across anyone in real life who would actually want to do this.

[FortyDoorsToNowhere]

I don't really want to have to tell them to stop because someone is feeding a baby in the pool

I would stop my DC from jumping and splashing around a baby regardless if they was feeding or not. It's basic manners.

[FortyDoorsToNowhere]

I breastfeed DS on the side of the pool, now 7 years later he loves the pool and really confident around water.

Boobs leak in the water anyway.

[lunar1]

Not keen personally, and I fed my children out and about. When we go swimming my boys 5&2 like to spend their time jumping and splashing. I don't really want to have to tell them to stop because someone is feeding a baby in the pool. What on earth is so difficult about sitting on the side for how ever long the baby needs feeding for.