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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think you shouldn't breastfeed in a swimming pool

539 replies

HappierThanEverBefore · 28/05/2014 20:13

Went swimming today & as I was walking to the steps there was a lady sitting on them breastfeeding.

I carried on as if nothing was wrong but the mentioned it to the life guard as I walked out. The lady looked disgusted that she was told to stop or carry on else where

AIBU to think it's wrong to breastfeed in the swimming pool

OP posts:
MollyBdenum · 28/05/2014 23:11

I, too, generally feed my children discreetly while wearing many layers plus a cardigan. This meant that whenever I took a baby swimming, they would find themselves snuggled up to an amount of bosom that they associated with feeding as I was wearing a swimming costume rather than a wholly jumper and assumed that milk was on the cards. I don't think I ever made it longer than 10 minutes in a pool before they stayed fussing for a feed.

Icimoi · 28/05/2014 23:13

Relaxing experience for baby but I take the good point about not feeding a baby places you wouldn't eat yourself. I hadn't really thought of that

But why wouldn't you eat by a swimming pool? At one of our local pools there are seats by the pool for people to sit in and they quite often take in a cup of coffee or a pack of crisps or similar. What's so terrible about it?

Namelessonsie · 28/05/2014 23:14

Exactly the same here Mollybdenum

Icimoi · 28/05/2014 23:15

Your not allowed to bottle feed in the pool so there shouldn't be any breast feeding either.

Who says you're not allowed to bottle feed?

Icimoi · 28/05/2014 23:17

I am not sure how this woman was bf-ing but I assume she would have had to ease her boob out from a v-cut neck line or lift her bikini top, both of which would expose a lot of flesh. Even if the baby covered her boob, there would still be a lot of top on display and it would be obvious what she were doing.

Goodness, how terrible. Because of course you never see any flesh round swimming pools, do you?

Icimoi · 28/05/2014 23:17

And how absolutely heinous to make it obvious that she was feeding her baby.

Doearwigsmakechutney · 28/05/2014 23:18

Yabu

Namelessonsie · 28/05/2014 23:19

That's a point. Why is it being obvious she's breastfeeding a shameful thing?

Catsize · 28/05/2014 23:19

Am off to look up tankinis to facilitate poolside feeding. Genius, thank you. :-)
who cares that my boobs are now so big and saggy that the nipples might poke out from the bottom of the top

BeCool · 28/05/2014 23:20

Should men have to wear full swimsuits so we don't have to look at their nipples, for even a fleeting moment?

Bellezeboobian · 28/05/2014 23:20

No-one is allowed to eat or drink poolside, nor should a baby in my opinion.

BoffinMum · 28/05/2014 23:21

Who even fucking cares, OP.
This is Britain, not Amish country.

Namelessonsie · 28/05/2014 23:21

Oh yes men should wear cozzies. Especially if they have, you know, boobs. Can't have them on show!

BeCool · 28/05/2014 23:22

catsize I got a great lowcutbetweentheboobs swimsuit (M&S) that was perfect for easy BF access.

Feenie · 28/05/2014 23:22

No-one is allowed to eat or drink poolside, nor should a baby in my opinion.

Relieved that the law disagrees with you then. Have a serious think about why that might be.

Catsize · 28/05/2014 23:31

Cheers becool, will have a look. Tend to struggle with 'regular' swimsuits, as I am taaaaaaall, but would be worth the potential spinal damage to wop one out and make fellow swimmers flea in HIV fear.

slithytove · 28/05/2014 23:32

God, wearing a swimsuit was the easiest item of clothing to bf in ever! (other than just knickers Grin)

blueshoes · 28/05/2014 23:36

I guess a bf-ing mother does not add any more visual pollution to a swimming pool than the out-of-shape bodies there.

BeCool · 28/05/2014 23:36

make sure you go for a colour that shows any leakage catsize. The black I had was far too discrete for anyone other than the basically fearful

Catsize · 28/05/2014 23:46

I am thinking 'highlighter orange'. Not sure S&M M&S di such a thing, but may do special 'Breastmilk Alert Reactor Alarm Swimsuits' that set off a siren in the event of leakage.

browneyedgirl86 · 28/05/2014 23:46

I breastfed, wouldn't have in a pool though. Partly because I'm not sure it's the best place to breastfeed. I wouldn't have done It. It took me months to get up the courage to breastfeed in public fully clothed! I guess I was always more discreet about it. If I saw the woman doing that I wouldn't have batted an eyelid, its her choice. But I understand if she was say topless that could make others feel uncomfortable because you don't see people swimming half naked in a public swimming pool. At least not anywhere in the UK I have been.

Catsize · 28/05/2014 23:49

They do have '50% off formula suncare', whatever that means. Doesn't seem to be about milk.

Translationquestion · 28/05/2014 23:52

Is it the seeing it that makes it a problem?

I know that there is a high chance of there being piss in the pool water but if I saw someone pissing in the pool I'd get out.

*Not really comparing breastfeeding to pissing or breastmilk to piss, just trying to fathom the logic of it out.

Personally it wouldn't bother me in the slightest and I may even have done it when DS was smaller.

BeCool · 28/05/2014 23:59

its to protect the bottles at the beach Grin

Catsize · 29/05/2014 00:02

Grin Cute image! Do they use sunscream?