BFing likened to 'peeing in pool' at Manchester Aquatics Centre, BF Flash mob tomorrow morning!

[OhWhatAPalaver]

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For anyone in Manchester tomorrow morning, get down to this!

Apologies if this has already been posted but thought I should share here.

The staff were not right to ask her to stop. You and they may not like it or want to do it yourself, but she has a legal right to do it. She may be in a tiny minority of women who would want to do this, but that doesn't mean the law should not apply to her. They broke the law by asking her to stop, and also by verbally harassing her.

I'm not sure what this protest is trying to achieve - even many committed public breastfeeders feel alienated by this, most people just don't understand it.

Why make this big public fuss about it.

Oh I completely agree about the flash mobbing! If I were in this woman's position I would just simply take them to court, and write several stern letters to the various authorities to inform them of this. The time for publicity is on the successful completion of a court case.

Well said Ex. This issue is not about who would and would not BF their child in a swimming pool, it is about the appalling way in which this woman was treated by the staff.

Her BF-ing her child in the pool should not cause anyone cause for distress or concern, if she wants to BF there, let her. There are no hygiene risks, just a lot of 'squeamish' or 'embarrassed' people. Deal with it.

And dealing with it from the bfers side should more rightly involve legal action not a fricking flashmob. I don't agree with how she was treated, I also don't agree with breastfeeding flashmobs. Yup, it's their right to do it but it's mine to think it is a silly exhibitionist folly.

We bf our babies at the end of their swimming lesson in the pool at the suggestion of the teacher. I did it from 3 months to 1 year old when i stopped bf-ing.

It's actually lovely as they are almost weightless and a nice milky cuddle at the end of a tiring lesson rather than making them wait til you both get dry and dressed. Babies were bottle fed in the pool too. I can't see a problem with it at all.

KingRollo, I still don't really understand why you think she shouldn't feed in the pool? If I had seen her doing this I would have thought "blimey, that's not what I would do, but each to their own" and then just carried on with my day.

Why is it a problem? People need to really consider WHY they think this is a problem

Sorry KR that was not meant to be a dig. There is a difference though between not wanting to do it myself, and then extending that into suggesting that others shouldn't do it especially when the law is on their side.

I have fed five and I really don't see the need to feed them in a pool.

I hate seeing stuff like this, it just makes breastfeeders look out for a fight.

Because I wouldn't eat a sandwich in a pool, or want to see a child eating sweets in the pool. You get out if you need a snack!

Skiing, you are correct about adults and older children eating food, but bf is an exception to that protected by law. Why do you think it is ok to tell someone to stop doing something that is protected in this way?

I see no reason at all to feed in a swimming pool.
To be honest it would make more sense to get out and wrap up and keep warm. I would rather be comfortable doing a feed than stood round the shallow end getting cold.

I am confused, she was on the radio at lunchtime today and said she was at the side of the pool just her feet in it. Unless there is a another one? And from what she said it was a 10 second soothe the baby thing not a sit down get a book twenty minute feed.

Getting out, walking back to changing room, fetching towel from locker, wrapping up, giving boob for ten seconds, then put it all away and getting back in would somewhat defeat the object of the 'calm down dear you are ok and boob mummy still here' angle.

I concur with other posters who have said if milk body fluid in the pool is an issue then presume all lactating women are banned.

kingrollo, could not agree more. How come there seems to be one group of bf mums (myself included) who can manage to fit feeding around everyday activities, and another group who feel the need to drop everything and bf at their babies first wimper no matter where they are. It just comes across that they are doing it to make a point. Bf is 'normal', doing it in a swimming pool is not, just as bottle feeding in a swimming pool is not.

HelpMePlease, it seems as if she was just using bf as a method of calming her child. Which is perfectly ok and not anything out of the ordinary. Why should she not be allowed to do this? I seriously doubt that she would have engineered the situation so that she could grind a bf ax.

Do you have to pay to use the pool? If so you are just lining their pockets.

Exbrighton, because for whatever reason she was doing it, she was still feeding the baby. Feeding to soothe is not out of the ordinary, i know, i do it myself, but it is still feeding in a swimming pool. If the baby was unhappy and feeding was the only way to calm it, thats fine, but you cant eat in a pool usually for whatever reason.

What is wrong with coming out of the pool and feeding the baby. That's what a sensible person would do. Whether it's bottle feeding or breast feeding.

HelpMePlease, so do you think that the Equalities Act 2010 is wrong and that it should be amended to specifically exclude bf in swimming pools?

It seems obvious to me that it isn't in any way like eating solid food as an older child or adult. I genuinely don't get why people find it unpleasant. Or is it the fact that a breast is being exposed?