Breastfeeding in swimming pool

If I tried to set my life around when I had to feed I’d never get out.
Never do the food shop, or the school run for that matter.

Were those the ‘good old days’ when you were not allowed to feed on demand and were happy to leave babies to cry?

Because I won’t do that. I don’t flounce or swing my boobs around. I pick up baby. Feed baby. Try to put baby back. Fail. Carry baby.

If some passer by happens to see my boob then good for them. I try to not flash but with a very curious LO it happens.

I’ve had to feed pretty much everywhere now with 3 kids. Never had a negative word said. Don’t know what people are thinking and honestly don’t care.

The only people who age involved in me BF are me my baby and the designated tea bringer (DH)

Btw, breastfeeding mothers may not have the same concept of privacy that some posters may have.

Maybe privacy means that the mothers is not given weird looks, instead of hiding to feed their child.

I feel so ashamed of reading some of these comments.
Women should support each other, not shame others.

Breastfeeding is the act of feeding an infant.
It is not attention seeking.
It is a mother taking care of her child.
How you think she should take care of her child is none of your business, especially if it is to accommodate your sensitivities and mentality.

Do you all remember how babies do not have a schedule to eat? If they are hungry, they start screaming.
They do not understand reason - "but, baby, what will people think
a. I am not covered properly and I am exposing myself, making them uncomfortable
b. a pool is not the proper place
c. whatever b.s. reason is to accommodate adults - who are adaptable, vs a baby - not so adaptable.

If babies scream because he/she is hungry, you would also judge the mother and you would also be bothered by the baby's screams. Mothers just cannot win.

If breastfeeding bothers you, do not look.
Remove yourself from the location, giving the mother privacy.

If you eat everywhere (and I have seen people eat and drink in pools), babies should be able to do so too.

Never made crumbs or spillt anything when breastfeeding Chestnut- have you?

Honestly, being a bit of a Devil's advocate here - but perhaps young women to make a bit of a 'song and dance' of it because they still get disapproving looks and threads like this one - and they say 'enough'... and I get that. Having to hide in filthy public toilets is way out of order- and if she had gone to changing room, she would not have been able to keep an eye on other children- and anyhow, why should she have to.

I think I'm one of the 'complainers' on here, Jura2. I had three children and I breast fed all of them for the first couple of months. However, I went upstairs and did it discreetly in the bedroom. I organised my life around the baby's feeds (as I think we all do), so the baby was never screaming with hunger in public.

The rule of no eating or drinking in the pool area is for the benefit of ALL swimmers. Why should one woman have the right to upset those around her?
Same principle as someone on a train having a loud conversation on their mobile. One person upsetting everyone around him.
It's really selfish to have no consideration for others just because YOU want to do something.

Gagajo, you’ve just made me feel I don’t want to go in a public swimming pool ever again,
‘People pee in pools. You might not see them doing it, but they do.’
That’s gross, but I bet you’re right.

*Why exactly do these women want to do this? Do they want a pat on the back because they are breast-feeding and not bottle-feeding?
They are behaving as though there is something unusual about it, yet women have managed to combine breast-feeding with living a normal, family life for eons, without making a big song and dance about it.*

In what way is anyone making a song and dance about it? They are just breastfeeding their babies, not prancing around naked waving their nipples at anyone. This mum is choosing to do it in a pool, that is all! I breastfed both of mine, (1980's) sat on trains and anywhere else they needed feeding, tucked baby under a roomy poncho and still got disapproving looks! Never took any notice though! But really, if somebody has a problem with a baby being fed quite normally then whose problem is it???

When I breastfed mine in the 70s - you had to hide to do it outside the home- often the only choice was to be in the public toilets, which I felt was so so wrong.

I wonder how many of the complaining grannies breastfed themselves? Or are the complainers those who chose not to (and the very very rare few who truly could not- and they are very rare)? This is not something I would have done- but it really would NOT bother me. If a mum is lactating and baby is due to be fed, in my experience, the breasts would leak heavily into the pool anyhow- so best surely feeding the baby rather than the pool.

Storm in a swimming pool.

Love it.

Cleopatra swore by the benefits of bathing in milk?

I’m assuming mother and baby are not submerged in pool water, therefore, no intake of the cocktail of fluids found in public pools.

I really don’t see any problem with this.

the non-breastfeeding grannies


It's been such a long while and I'm not sure I'm capable now.

Traditionally ass's milk, Baggs I think.

How many asses would it take to fill a swimming pool with milk?
Must go and do some maths.

Storm in a swimming pool.

Land of milk and honey and all that.

Haven't I heard of people bathing in milk? A drop or two in a swimming pool is neither here nor there.

maurasmith Thu 16-Jan-20 13:24:34

nobody wants to swim in your milk darling xx

Best you don't go swimming then, because she has a legal right to do it.

Bibbity, 100%. You do your baby.

The breastfeeding mum on here isn't the one making a big deal of it, the NON breastfeeding grannies are. Moaning. Complaining.

The breastfeeding mum (sorry Bibbity) is just making sure all her kids enjoy their swim, incidentally it includes feeding the baby.

Don't like it, don't look.

Actually, callis, it will have been since well before the dawn of human civilisation, probably by a very long time ?

Well if you go into the same pool as a woman BF then regardless if she feeds there her milk will more than likely be in the pool.

Along with all the piss.

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

What exactly are we doing wrong?
It’s not rocket science. Baby cries. Place boob into baby.

So what in your view have we discovered?
Granted our clothes are more adaptable. Nursing bras are much more comfortable so I can see why you’d be jealous of that.

I was just going to post something similar ladymuck

Perhaps today's mums think they have just discovered something new and wondrous whereas mankind would not have survived today without women breastfeeding since the dawn of human civilisation.

That included many Gransnetters too, believe it or not.

It’s not something I would have personally have done, but a lot of things have changed over the years, and I’m guessing some would rather feed in the pool rather than get out and do it

They get chlorine in their mouth when theyre swimming! People saying they shouldnt be fed there because there might be some chlorine on / around mum are seriously reaching.

You have a point there notanan! I stand corrected! I still thinking the splashing etc is not great for a breastfeeding baby and although there would still be noise sitting on seats at the side ...assuming there are seats ..still seems better! But in the end I dont suppose a baby being breastfed in a pool is going to end the world is it! As I said previously I have no patience with all the silly reasons given for babies not being breast fed in public generally!

The sign can say what it wants. The law protects the mother.

No. Please don’t ever touch me when I’m feeding I will punch.
What do I want? To stop my child from crying.....maybe cake.