# Breast feeding in the swimming pool **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 16, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437 "2013-08-16T18:25:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/21 "2013-08-16T19:24:31Z")
> [@](#): > > But they should be able to breastfeed wherever they want. Not in a public pool, seems to be the majority opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/22 "2013-08-16T19:24:38Z")
Personally I don’t really care where a woman breastfeeds. In my view, a breastfeeding baby is a baby that isn’t screaming and crying because it’s hungry, and I’m definitely in favor of _quiet_ babies. And as far as “hygienic” goes, if people are standing waist deep in a pool, then you’re standing in water that is literally full of anuses\* and sex organs. There’s bigger concerns than a drop of escaping breast milk. \*Yes, “The pool is _literally_ full of assholes” was my first thought… ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/23 "2013-08-16T19:25:08Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > But they _ **should** _ be able to breastfeed wherever they want. :dubious: > > Reactionary misogynists who complain about everything women do color my impressions of those who would try to restrict mothers from feeding their babies in the most natural, healthful, sanitary way possible. I am far from a misogynist, being a woman myself. I think that, as with anything, women breastfeeding should try to minimize the obstruction and discomfort of other people. So that means no sitting in the middle of a convention center floor and breastfeeding when there are plenty of chairs available. And people who praise “mothers from feeding their babies in the most natural, healthful, sanitary way possible” do remind me of people that say “mothers who formula feed should be made to feel bad about themselves.” That’s just my association. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/24 "2013-08-16T19:27:49Z")
> [@Soylent\_Juicy](#): > > I’d think that the mother’s skin must taste like chlorine to the baby if she’d already dunked herself in the water, and the thought of breast milk leaking into the pool squicks me right out. I’d think “you got chlorinated water in my breastmilk!”\* is a bigger issue than “you got breastmilk in my chlorinated water!” 😛 \*Not that the kid would be actually saying this. :eek:🙂 ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/25 "2013-08-16T19:30:05Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > I’d think it was odd if someone was enjoying a Little Debbies snack cake while standing waist deep in water. Or drinking a Diet Coke. So, yeah, I feel the same way about breast feeding. If you want to eat (or drink), get out of the pool. This is where I fall, too. I strongly support breastfeeding, but if you can’t have beverages in the pool, it seems as though you shouldn’t breastfeed in the pool, either. I would also think it strange if a woman was bottlefeeding a baby in the pool. Though I guess you’re more likely to drop a bottle in the pool than a boob. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/26 "2013-08-16T19:33:58Z")
I think even having a baby in a pool is weird and inviting fate to be ruinous. Though logically I know that it’s probably just as unlikely to get injured being held in waist deep water as it is being carried over land (possibly less, since pools generally don’t have things to trip on). ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/27 "2013-08-16T19:36:47Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Not in a public pool, seems to be the majority opinion. It wasn’t the majority opinion where this happened; the outcry in the community was large enough the pool had to reverse their decision. And in the US majority opinion doesn’t matter, the law says women can breastfeed in public. > [@Skara\_Brae](#): > > I am far from a misogynist, being a woman myself. Well, women can certainly be misogynists (Ann Coulter, anyone?) but it doesn’t matter. I wasn’t saying you’re a misogynist; I’m saying all the misogynists who make similar arguments color my perceptions. > [@](#): > > I think that, as with anything, women breastfeeding should try to minimize the obstruction and discomfort of other people. So that means no sitting in the middle of a convention center floor and breastfeeding when there are plenty of chairs available. The law disagrees. So do I. > [@](#): > > And people who praise “mothers from feeding their babies in the most natural, healthful, sanitary way possible” do remind me of people that say “mothers who formula feed should be made to feel bad about themselves.” That’s just my association. :rolleyes: I’m not going to defend myself against the chip on your shoulder, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/28 "2013-08-16T19:38:02Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > this is outrageous. > > what kind of toddler pool is waist deep for an adult? I was wondering that myself. In the toddler pools that I’ve been familiar with, the water barely comes up to the knee, if that. ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/29 "2013-08-16T19:39:56Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > The law disagrees. So do I. > > :rolleyes: > > I’m not going to defend myself against the chip on your shoulder, sorry. I’m not looking for a fight. I may be biased. But I would strongly disagree with anything that says you shouldn’t have to consider other people around you. A breastfeeding mother can do no wrong? ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/30 "2013-08-16T19:56:12Z")
> [@Skara\_Brae](#): > > I’m not looking for a fight. I may be biased. But I would strongly disagree with anything that says you shouldn’t have to consider other people around you. A breastfeeding mother can do no wrong? I think ideally one should account for the feelings of others while in public. However, the arguments against breastfeeding are reactionary and stupid. People shouldn’t be expected to cater to stupidity. There are some Orthodox Jews who think menstruating women shouldn’t go outside. Should women consider isolating themselves during their periods? Why not? A menstruating woman can do no wrong??? ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/31 "2013-08-16T20:00:16Z")
In general, I have no objections to public breastfeeding, but this isn’t a typical case. There’s a difference between breastfeeding in a public area like in the area around the pool and what could be seen as making a spectle of it. The other issue is that, as others mentioned, breastmilk is still a bodily fluid, and it is a food. Why does she need to do it in the middle of the pool? I don’t think women should be forced to go into a bathroom stall for breastfeeding, but it doesn’t even seem practical to breastfeed while standing. It’s not clear what exactly happened either. The woman claims they said it was indecent exposure, the pool claims they said it was unhygienic. Why make a scene of it? If it’s just the hygiene, why not just go sit in a chair near the pool? I could see, and would agree, with her complaint if they insisted she go to the changing area, but the protest seems to be specifically about breastfeeding in the pool. The whole thing just seems weird. Further, I agree with the hygiene argument. It IS a bodily fluid, and it IS food. Hell, urine is even sterile, but no one would defend that. I’ve never been to a pool that allowed any sort of food or drink near the pool, much less in it. Why is breastmilk different from any other food or drink or bodily fluid? ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/32 "2013-08-16T20:06:49Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > I think ideally one should account for the feelings of others while in public. However, the arguments against breastfeeding are reactionary and stupid. People shouldn’t be expected to cater to stupidity. > > There are some Orthodox Jews who think menstruating women shouldn’t go outside. Should women consider isolating themselves during their periods? Why not? A menstruating woman can do no wrong??? Going outside isn’t, in and of itself, an asshole move. Plopping your ass down in the middle of the floor at a convention, so that people have to walk around you to get to a booth, _is_. Sticking a baby on her tit doesn’t suddenly transform an asshole move into something that’s A-okay. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/33 "2013-08-16T20:07:50Z")
> [@](#): > > It wasn’t the majority opinion where this happened; the outcry in the community was large enough the pool had to reverse their decision. Agreed. Too bad they couldn’t stick to a policy that made sense. > [@](#): > > And in the US majority opinion doesn’t matter, the law says women can breastfeed in public. Not in a public pool, where both food and excreting bodily fluids are prohibited. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/34 "2013-08-16T20:10:49Z")
She has a right to breast feed wherever she wants, including in a pool. But that doesn’t mean she should do it. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/35 "2013-08-16T20:12:14Z")
> [@Skara\_Brae](#): > > I am far from a misogynist, being a woman myself. > > I think that, as with anything, women breastfeeding should try to minimize the obstruction and discomfort of other people. So that means no sitting in the middle of a convention center floor and breastfeeding when there are plenty of chairs available. > > And people who praise “mothers from feeding their babies in the most natural, healthful, sanitary way possible” do remind me of people that say “mothers who formula feed should be made to feel bad about themselves.” That’s just my association. I’m in total agreement with this. That lady in the article was being a jackass. I remember reading another article where a woman got all pissy because the manager at a nice restaurant, asked her to cover up. He didn’t ask her to stop, just cover up. She was holding a blanket right there on her frick’n arm. It would have taken all of two seconds to cover baby up. Personally, I’m not bothered by exposed baby breast feeding but I know other people are. I don’t think it would be a terrible thing to give them a modicum of courtesy. Breastfeeding in a pool. I think it’s a little gross, not for me but for the baby. Who the hell wants chlorine laced milk? Bleh… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/36 "2013-08-16T20:25:37Z")
I’d have had no problem if she had been breast feeding by the side of the pool. But I can see where there might be legitimate reasons for asking somebody to not breast feed in a pool. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/37 "2013-08-16T20:39:14Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I remember reading another article where a woman got all pissy because the manager at a nice restaurant, asked her to cover up. He didn’t ask her to stop, just cover up. She was holding a blanket right there on her frick’n arm. It would have taken all of two seconds to cover baby up. > > Personally, I’m not bothered by exposed baby breast feeding but I know other people are. I don’t think it would be a terrible thing to give them a modicum of courtesy. As I’ve mentioned on a few places on the board, I was just in Egypt a few weeks ago. On a flight from Cairo to Luxor, we were the only non Egyptians on the plane, so there were many Muslim women who were various degrees of covered up. As we got on the plane, right there in the front row of coach was a woman in full burka-- eyes covered and everything. Except she had it lifted up and was breast feeding her kid. Her chest, breast, and kid were _totally_ uncovered as 100+ people walked by. I’m pretty sure I did a quadruple take because it was just. . . foreign to everything I know. Like, our country is so uptight about titties-- even breastfeeding ones-- that I would have assumed that a country so conservative about everything else would be more so than us. And yet there she was, titty out for the whole plane to see. When I mentioned this to an Egyptian friend, he looked at me really confused and said, “Why would she cover that up? She’s just feeding her child, it’s natural. Women walk down the street here doing that-- why wouldn’t they? It’s not sexual.” It was about that time I had to give some serious thought about everything. Because, shit, he ain’t wrong. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/38 "2013-08-16T20:41:46Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I’m in total agreement with this. That lady in the article was being a jackass. > I remember reading another article where a woman got all pissy because the manager at a nice restaurant, asked her to cover up. He didn’t ask her to stop, just cover up. She was holding a blanket right there on her frick’n arm. It would have taken all of two seconds to cover baby up. Some (many? most?) babies hate to be covered and will refuse to feed under a blanket. Besides, its a RESTAURANT. If someone gets upset about seeing a human eating in a restaurant, they’re the one with the issue. Look, if the pool has a “no food” rule and they use that to say she can’t feed in the pool, that doesn’t get me too bent out of shape. This is a borderline case to be sure. But honestly, the reason there’s no food allowed in the pool is because its messy, and that doesn’t apply to breastfeeding. Can you shoehorn it in? Yeah, I guess, but its against the spirit of the rule in my opinion. There’s nothing unsanitary about breastfeeding. In most of these stories it seems to me that someone doesn’t like seeing a woman breastfeed, and then tries to figure out some way to justify their discomfort by inventing a rule. Breastfeeding is natural, normal, sanitary, and legal to do in public. People who object to it are just wrong. Its as asinine as objecting to a woman going out with uncovered hair. Mothers are under no obligation to defer to that nonsense. Don’t want to watch a woman breastfeeding? Look the other way. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/39 "2013-08-16T20:44:29Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Not in a public pool, where both food and excreting bodily fluids are prohibited. I’m pretty sure you’re wrong, but I’m on my phone and can’t find a cite. > [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > Going outside isn’t, in and of itself, an asshole move. Plopping your ass down in the middle of the floor at a convention, so that people have to walk around you to get to a booth, _is_. Sticking a baby on her tit doesn’t suddenly transform an asshole move into something that’s A-okay. I don’t know what you’re referenceing and I’m not going to argue against a strawman. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437/40 "2013-08-16T20:55:16Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > Some (many? most?) babies hate to be covered and will refuse to feed under a blanket. Besides, its a RESTAURANT. If someone gets upset about seeing a human eating in a restaurant, they’re the one with the issue. > In most of these stories it seems to me that someone doesn’t like seeing a woman breastfeed, and then tries to figure out some way to justify their discomfort by inventing a rule. Breastfeeding is natural, normal, sanitary, and legal to do in public. People who object to it are just wrong. Its as asinine as objecting to a woman going out with uncovered hair. Mothers are under no obligation to defer to that nonsense. > > Don’t want to watch a woman breastfeeding? Look the other way. This really is a tough issue. You make some good points here, but then again, I wouldn’t go to a nice restaurant, wearing a sleeveless Tee, so everyone eating can see my pit hairs hanging out. True, if they don’t like it ,they can look the other way, but at the same time; what has been seen, can not be UNseen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breast-feeding-in-the-swimming-pool/666437.md?page=3)