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No petting, no diving, no breastfeeding


Commander CMG

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  • Stephanie Wilby was feeding four-month-old Leo in the toddler pool
  • Claims staff at Manchester Aquatics Centre branded it 'indecent exposure'
  • 22-year-old says staff made a scene 'shouting' at her to stop
  • 'I should be allowed to breastfeed where I want' says mother-of-two

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I agree that she should be able to do it wherever she wants, but what a bizarre place to want to do it. :unsure2:

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'I should be allowed to breastfeed where I want' says mother-of-two

Too many women mothers think this way

Edited by Rlyeh
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I've got mixed feeling about this one. While a mother breastfeeding her baby is a natural thing to do, there is a time and place for everything and while standing in the middle of a swimming pool I don't consider that a suitable place, she should have at least got out of the pool and gone somewhere a bit quieter. That said there was no need for the lifeguard to make such a fuss about it.

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  • 'I should be allowed to breastfeed where I want' says mother-of-two

I completely disagree. And i still don't understand where this attitude comes from? Maybe an overload of hormones make some early mothers exhibitionists or something.

Peeing is also a very natural thing, but you can't do it anywhere you damn well please. Have some respect yanno.

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Are other people allowed to eat in the pool?

I highly doubt it. They're not going to let some kid with a sandwich and a handful of chips hang out in the pool either.

Then the baby can't eat in the pool either.

Absolutely nothing wrong with breastfeeding, but there is something wrong with feeling entitled to everything your way all the time, and not having any ability to compromise for the sake of others comfort.

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'I should be allowed to breastfeed where I want' says mother-of-two

Too many women mothers think this way

And there's also a lot of men fathers who completely agree with them.

'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.

So the intial offence was indecent exposure...then bodily fluids? :rolleyes:

Anyone who thinks breastfeeding is anything like urinating has a lot to learn. The same goes for anyone who thinks it is the same as eating a bag of chips in the pool. Staff should have handled the situation a lot better.

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When my daughter was an infant, I would go into a public restroom to do that. Not the most sanitary place, but it was private. No reason to just flop it out in the middle of everyone.

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It is the most natural thing in the world, but I was never able to do it in public like this cause I try to respect people and I never wanted to make anybody uncomfortable with my nude breasts.

I would also go to the restroom or find a corner somewhere, usually not facing people and I would cover as much as possible: my babies would get fed and nobody had to see parts of me i didn't want to show! lol

But the lifeguard shouldn't have made such a scene.

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The same goes for anyone who thinks it is the same as eating a bag of chips in the pool.

I knew someone would say something like this.

Rules don't usually get made to say things like this: "No eating anything that could potentially drop into the pool creating an unsanitary situation and clogging the drain. This does not apply to people under 2 years of age." ... or whatever.

Rules are usually like "No eating in the pool."

Now, I have no way of knowing what the particular rules of the pool are, and I do agree that no scene should have been made, and the comparison to peeing in a pool is ludicrous. But...

I try to respect people and I never wanted to make anybody uncomfortable.

This.

If this woman, or anyone else, believes that they should never be inconvenienced one tiny jot (like having to walk a few steps away from the pool to a semi-private corner or such), they live in a dream world in which they are queen or king. Why should ego trump consideration so much?

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If this woman, or anyone else, believes that they should never be inconvenienced one tiny jot (like having to walk a few steps away from the pool to a semi-private corner or such), they live in a dream world in which they are queen or king. Why should ego trump consideration so much?

Mrs Wilby, who is on maternity leave from her job in customer services at British Gas, said: 'If they did not like it they could have asked me quietly to stop.

'I would have still questioned their reasons but it would not have been as inappropriate.

And she allegedly did ask if she could feed at the side of the pool and was told to go into the change room or restrooms.

I'm sure that there probably is one, but the article makes no mention of a no eating in the pool policy. (correct me if I'm wrong, maybe I missed it)

The complaints were directed at the fact that she was "exposed".

Would I ever breastfeed in a pool? Nope, I'm a private person and feeding anywhere in public - especially in a public pool wouldn't be for me, for a number of reasons. Being directed to a feed in a restroom is even more offensive in my opinion though. Would an adult eat in there in preference to the risk of offending someone? Not likely.

I have seen women breastfeed in pools, and at the side of the pool (just last week actually). Usually it's discreet and you could never tell unless you are staring at them. And even then, there's not a whole lot to see, so I just don't get why people are so disgusted by it in that aspect. It's not like they're swimming around topless...

Edited by sarah_444
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If simply moving to a relatively private is at all practical, that should be legally required. If your baby is hungry and you can't or have no way to do so, then sure, you can feed it in public.

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The lifeguard should have been discreet and respectful. Too bad the mother wasn't either. But two wrongs don't make a right.

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Cant believe shed endanger the baby like that...you know you can't be in a pool till 30 minutes after eating.

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There are ways to do it discreetly. Just to be considerate of others.. who might not wish to see your breast . A little common sense lady?

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I am generally with the BF mums here, it's what boobs are for and as most doctors now say that feeding on demand is better than a regimented feeding routine, sometimes babies will need to be fed when you are out and about. It's natural, there is nothing "sexy" or "dirty" about it.

However, feeding while in the pool? That is just laziness. If she had been sat on a chair besides the pool and the staff still said the same, then I would be all up for the mum kicking off with staff. But there is no eating in the pool, that goes for babies too in my opinion.

I think mothers should have the right to feed their babies, whenever and wherever they like. But you have to be sensible with it. Your baby hungry while you are driving? You don't carry on driving and feed your baby at the same time. You pull up somewhere safe and do it. Your baby hungry in the pool? Get out and feed them.

And just to mention from my experience, if you take a baby in the pool just after they have been fed, they are likely to puke it back up again. Might not happen with every baby but did with mine lol. If my baby got hungry in the pool I knew it was time to get out lol.

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I think she should breastfeed anytime, anywhere!, THAT being said... I do not mean, just flop it out and feed.

I breastfed 28 yrs ago in public. Once I was in a crowded mall.. my son was hungry, so I sat on a bench, put a baby blanky over one breast side, put him under it and fed.. yup, in public.. but covered.

I think it is just fine, but does not mean I think we sbould flaunt our nudity in public.

I breastfed at an elementary school during one of those halloween party things, with a blanket over the side i was nursing on.

Yes, do it whenever, as many times as you want, but there is no need to be rude and flaunting about it. Besides if i was outside, i made darn tootin sure both my breast and childs head was covered.. sun on face of child burns childs precious tender skin.

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And there's also a lot of men fathers who completely agree with them.

Tough luck, the staff didn't.
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When my daughter was an infant, I would go into a public restroom to do that. Not the most sanitary place, but it was private. No reason to just flop it out in the middle of everyone.

I have to say I would never ever go in to a public restroom to feed my child. I would never sit on a toilet and eat a sandwich so I certainly would not feed a child there either.

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No eating in the pool, it is that simple. Goes for babies, too.

Sheesh, don´t tell me there isn´t some plastic chair or other place to sit down somewhere not too far from the pool. It is not like the baby is going to starve within seconds.

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I have to say I would never ever go in to a public restroom to feed my child. I would never sit on a toilet and eat a sandwich so I certainly would not feed a child there either.

It's not like I wiped my boob on the toilet first. lol Bra to mouth, no contamination. I liked the privacy. And, to be honest, I probably HAVE at some point in my life eaten something while sitting on the toilet. I grew up in the country so bodily functions of humans and animals was never a big deal. But I'm the odd exception. :rofl:

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I think she should breastfeed anytime, anywhere!, THAT being said... I do not mean, just flop it out and feed.

I breastfed 28 yrs ago in public. Once I was in a crowded mall.. my son was hungry, so I sat on a bench, put a baby blanky over one breast side, put him under it and fed.. yup, in public.. but covered.

I think it is just fine, but does not mean I think we sbould flaunt our nudity in public.

I breastfed at an elementary school during one of those halloween party things, with a blanket over the side i was nursing on.

Yes, do it whenever, as many times as you want, but there is no need to be rude and flaunting about it. Besides if i was outside, i made darn tootin sure both my breast and childs head was covered.. sun on face of child burns childs precious tender skin.

See this makes sense. Breastfeeding is completely natural and should not be seen otherwise. However, human beings reactions are often not natural or predictable and it is a minor adjustment to cover the baby and exposed breast with a blanket - or in this mother's case, a towel, and seat yourself away from where others are swimming and playing in the water. This is about mum and babies peace of mind and safety in a world full of misconception and faulty reasoning.

Is it really such a sacrifice to avoid confronting others with breastfeeding who just haven't evolved enough to recognise it's natural? Some minor coverage and the majority of folk won't even notice what's going on or see enough to have any reaction to it.

The point about the sunburn is particularly poignant - definitely mums ego showing a tad more than her care for the child's nourishment.

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Is it really such a sacrifice to avoid confronting others with breastfeeding who just haven't evolved enough to recognise it's natural? Some minor coverage and the majority of folk won't even notice what's going on or see enough to have any reaction to it.

Appeal to nature is a worn out excuse. Nudity, sex and defecation is also natural. Natural is not synonymous with acceptable.
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