Mother sues for £20k for being discouraged from bf while the wave machine was on

[sizeofalentil]

Daily Mirror link to the story here.

I'm totally for breastfeeding wherever and whenever, but I wouldn't want to eat my sandwiches in a swimming pool - they are so germy, like a human soup, so not sure a swimming pool with a wave machine on would be the best place to bf. Plus, obviously in this case there was the waves.

I realise that getting out of the water, especially if she had other kids, with a hungry baby would be a massive faff, but wouldn't the wave machine splash the baby and make it choke?

Serious question: AIBU to think this? Is bf in a swimming pool a done thing? Genuinely curious.

Sorry that's gross. There's a risk of contamination to the baby and for her milk to get in the water.

Sounds like it's one of those times that people spout off about 'it's not fair'

People are not supposed to eat or drink next to it due to H&S regulations! Why should BF be any different?

Interestingly, according to that Burnley Express article, even the incident in the hospital wasn't the first time she considered her BF rights had been breached

Odd, isn't it, how so many mums get through years of BF with no issues at all and a very few seem to meet discrimination time after time

come to think of it, I had DD2 in the pool with me at less than that age when the wave machine was on in centreparcs

Was rubbish, you could still go round the wirlpool bit when the wave machine was on in the attached pool, that's how not dangerous the wave machine was

I would be more worried about the baby getting a face full or mouthful of the horrible pool water.

And that she is suing for £20k, money grabbing attention seeker!

why would you approach someone who is apparently contently feeding and offer them a room if you don't have some sort of issues with feeding?

Yeah some people would prefer a room, but surely those people would ask.

To just walk up to someone who is getting on with feeding and ask them if they'ld like a room is suggesting they are doing something that's not normal. I'ld be put out.

Yeah its not the same as telling someone to stop, and it's probably from a misguided effort to help from an individual who has their own issues, but that sort of low level undermining of normal breastfeeding does need addressing

It's just that most people who experience the low level stuff won't ever make a fuss.. so it continues

If she's such a lactavist, as she likes to make out, I wonder if she will donate that money to a breastfeeding organisation or to help promote breastfeeding? Thought not!

Screen she should not be in a wave pool with a baby, I believe they are age restrictions due to health and safety.

she wasn't asked to leave because of age restrictions

and that varies pool to pool, a lot don't have age restrictions, the better/funner ones probaby do

As somebody said there are places where you cannot feed a baby, be it breast or bottle, the pool is one of them.

She wasn't asked to leave. she was offered a chair.

Not much different to bfing on a rollercoaster in my book. It's all about common sense. I betcha she pushes this everywhere she goes and hit "Bingo" this time when someone offered her a chair. Hopefully she'll end up with a legal bill and no reward.

She was asked to leave the pool. If the reason was age restriction, she would have been told that. So that wasn't the reason.

Feeding in a pool is nothing like feeding on a roller coaster

babies are allowed in pools. Babies are not allowed on roller coasters.

How do you know this Screen? unless you are she

Even being asked to leave the pool is the correct thing to do, given there was a wave machine in operation.

She should start a series. Extreme Breastfeeding. She could ask Bear Grylls to help.

When ive been to a wave pool I don't think a baby would actually be allowed. I guess it depends on the specific pool but the one im thinking of I don't think would. The siren goes off to warn weak swimmers to come out. There are signs up saying weak swimmers should leave and also that the lifeguard has the right to ask anyone they like to leave the pool if they think they're not coping with the waves/too weak a swimmer, etc. I would say most 8 month old babies are weak swimmers. Ive seen the lifeguard ask kids about 10yo to leave mid wave session.

She is after knee, nothing more and nothing less.

She wasn't asked to leave the pool area. She was offered a chair by the side of the pool. Poor lifeguard probably thought she would welcome it, like most normal people would.

Even if she had been asked to leave a normal pool because she was breastfeeding most people might complain, say it's not right, ask to speak to a manager, want better training, etc. But to go to a solicitor and Sue for such a large amount of money speaks volumes.

I'm guessing as there was no monetary loss and she can't realistically say she's been emotionally damaged by this that she will be laughed out of court.

After money that should be!

Would make a cracking episode on Judge Rinder.

Just absolutely ridiculous. I suspect she is someone who looks for bizarre places to feed in order to put her tabloid face to good use.

A women has an absolute right to feed wherever she likes, however I have , and i hope most women have a little more common sense.

See it must be the way people process things that are being said.

Being offered a chair is somehow changed into being asked to leave the pool.

Why is that?

Yeah some people would prefer a room, but surely those people would ask.

No, I suspect a good number would grit their teeth and get on with it. I had to on several occasions.

To just walk up to someone who is getting on with feeding and ask them if they'ld like a room is suggesting they are doing something that's not normal. I'ld be put out.

IMO that's nonsense. Offering someone a private space or a chair is good manners. Insisting would be suggesting something that's not normal. If someone had offered me a private space I would have accepted with DS1 but probably turned it down with DS2 and DD.

I really don't think stories like this are good for breastfeeding at all. I think it makes breastfeeders look like complete nutters. A case of the minority ruining it for the majority.

I agree, stories like this are bad for breastfeeding popularity. But it's not the mum's who are writing these stories. They are often inaccurate.

I know this pool. It has a 'shore' ie you can walk into it and it gradually gets deeper from an inch or so of water. Even with the waves on, she could be sat with her other DC paddling at the shore and the waves not bothering her or baby at all.