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AIBU?

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

116 replies

loveolives · 01/11/2013 22:14

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?

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ZombieMojaveWonderer · 02/11/2013 17:51

I would not feed my baby in the pool because I would want to clean my nipple before I popped it in my child's mouth.
I used to leave the change bag by the pool, where everyone leaves the towels.
I would get out and grab the bag. Sit down and wrap my child in a towel. Clean my nipple and pop my child on my boob. Easy

hettienne · 02/11/2013 18:05

Clean your nipple? With what?

LordPalmerston · 02/11/2013 18:07

No. Weird. Mind you I'm a bit prim with breast feeding.

candycoatedwaterdrops · 02/11/2013 18:12

The last thread on this has completely put me off swimming. I'm not joking, I have not been swimming since.

KeepingUpWithTheJonses · 02/11/2013 18:19

I just see it as a bit unnecessary.

I wouldn't take a newborn swimming anyway. The cold, the germs...what's the point? Tiny babies would enjoy a warm bath with mum more, I see no benefit to them being in a public pool at all.

By the time they get to the age where swimming is actually a fun experience, then they're usually old enough that they're not bf every ten minutes anyway, and you'd have a good idea of their routine and so could plan their meals around it.

I've never seen anyone bf in a pool. If I did, my main thought would be poor planning or badly prepared on behalf of the mum tbh. That, or that they were trying to make some sort of point, which makes me cringe.

5madthings · 02/11/2013 18:22

babies dont just bfeed for food and many bfed babies never develop a 'routine' for when they feed. many mums just feed on demand and babies will nurse for a variety of reasons.

so if you think its just 'bad planning' or to 'make a point' you are sadly misinformed.

Smartiepants79 · 02/11/2013 18:25

Just can't really see why it would be necessary to feed in a pool. And I EBF both my babies for an extended amount of time.
Get out if they're that hungry!
And if they're that distressed they shouldn't be in the pool in the first place.
I have fed in many places but this just seems to be a bit silly.

Bunbaker · 02/11/2013 18:30

"but I think that's pretty rare tbh, particularly with bf babies."

Nonsense. My sister BF her childrena and I BF DD. They all puked up after feeds. My HV didn't bat an eylid and said it was very common regardless of how I fed DD.

KeepingUpWithTheJonses · 02/11/2013 18:44

5madthings - having a different opinion does not make me 'misinformed'.

I have never known a bf baby of a few months + to still be totally unpredictable with feeds, or need bf every few minutes, like a newborn.

In terms of comfort, I've never been a fan of shoving a nipple/dummy or anything else in their mouths at the first sign of a whinge, if it is not hunger-related. That I suppose is a matter of opinion.

BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability · 02/11/2013 19:15

As I said on the last thread, I have fed ds2 at a swim up bar. Which bit of the "against" argument says I shouldnt do that? And it was ds1 who kept throwing up in the pool, who is no longer breastfed.

BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability · 02/11/2013 19:17

Just to poke the anti-BFs with a stick a bit more, ds2 was a toddler at the time.

LordPalmerston · 02/11/2013 19:26

ew at milk in water

Writerwannabe83 · 02/11/2013 19:32

I'd prefer to swim in a pool with some breast milk floating in it than swim in a pool that people have urinated in -which lets be honest is most pools we get in

lljkk · 02/11/2013 19:36

I wouldn't give a fig. The pool has plenty of sweat in it already, milk is a nice change.

5madthings · 02/11/2013 19:36

babies dont have to be distressec or upset to want to feed. bfeeding is about so much more than just food and a comment of 'not being a fan of shoving a dummy/nipple in their mouths' again does show you to be misinformed.

i guess you can shove a dummy in... not seen anyone do that tho. offer a baby a dummy yes. offer a breast yes. but you certainly cant make a baby bfeed if they dont want to.

infact you cant make a baby have a dummy if they dont want it either, they spit it out.

either way sucking is naturallu the most important reflex for babies and is naturally soothing and comforting as well as being about nutrition it is a way of touching base, the skin to skin is important, babies and toddlers get comfort ftom the warmth, the smell, thw touch eyc of their mothers, its all intertwinned and entirely natural as nature intends.

the way you talk about shoving a nipple in a mouth makes you sound anti bfeeding and as tho you hqve some kind of issue with a baby deriving comfort from a breast. when it is infact entirely normal. you may not want to offer that comfort to your babies, fine that is your choice but others do and are legally protected to do so, even in a swimming pool.

bishbashboosh · 02/11/2013 20:34

I've breast fed 4 children to the he of 3 and wouldn't hve done it in a swimming pool

bishbashboosh · 02/11/2013 20:36

Sorry posted to soon! Out of respect for the other paying members. There have been occasions I remember when I have been in my swimsuit in the changing room or I. The nearest toilet

2tiredtoScare · 02/11/2013 20:37

Was she actually feeding in the pool

SaucyJack · 02/11/2013 20:43

I don't agree with it. A public swimming pool isn't an appropriate place for anybody to be having their lunch.

TheHouseonHauntedHill · 02/11/2013 20:57

wherever and whenever you want.

I am so pleased these naysayers are being reported and publicly shamed and made to back down.

The article I read on this also came from the so called Daily Fail.

2tiredtoScare · 02/11/2013 21:02

If she wasn't in the pool I don't see the problem

TheHouseonHauntedHill · 02/11/2013 21:02

keepingup

Your comments have made me really cringe.

I am BF and we feed on demand, whenever and where ever.

thank heavens for 5mad the voice of motherly reason

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TheHouseonHauntedHill · 02/11/2013 21:04

Out of respect for the other paying members

What is ^dis respectful about BF?

2tiredtoScare · 02/11/2013 21:05

Last week I was at the theatre and got talking to a woman BF her baby sitting on the floor of the toilets, I asked her why she wasn't sitting on a chair in the lobby and she said she felt 'ashamed'

LordPalmerston · 02/11/2013 21:05

i breastfed

i find it really weird now

when you are IN it you cant see the wood for the trees, the minute oyu finish you think THAT WAS NUTS

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