Wednesday, 14 August 2013

Should a mother be allowed to breastfeed in a public swimming pool?

22 year old new mum, Stephanie Wilby (pictured above), is fighting the management of a leisure centre after she was asked to stop breastfeeding her four-month-old baby in a swimming pool. The staff told her breastfeeding in the pool was indecent exposure, unhygienic and similar to a swimmer urinating in the pool and would throw her out of the leisure centre if she refused to stop
"I would have still questioned their reasons but it would not have been as inappropriate. They made a real scene. They were saying me breastfeeding was indecent exposure. But I was covered more than most of the other swimmers. One staff member also said he would stop a man urinating in the pool and that is why they did not want me breastfeeding in the water. I should be allowed to breastfeed where I want. I felt humiliated and it was very distressing. I even asked about feeding at the side of the pool but they said that was not allowed and said I should go to the changing rooms or toilet. This was the worst possible customer service I have ever come across.'
She reported the case as abuse and now the city council is investigating to see if she has a case. I support the staff on this. A public swimming pool is not an appropriate place to breastfeed a child. What do you guys think?

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