Pool Area Not For Breastfeeding, Ann Arbor Woman Told

[eppur_se_muova]

YMCA Rule Concerns Food, Drink By Pool And Distraction To Lifeguards

POSTED: 4:12 pm EST January 11, 2006

An Ann Arbor woman says she was asked to stop breastfeeding her baby in public at an area YMCA. Now she hopes by speaking out, the gray line about breast-feeding in public is eliminated.

Senior Programs Director at the YMCA Diane Carr said there is no food or water allowed in the pool area and exceptions cannot be made.

***

Michigan exempts breast-feeding from its public nudity statute, but it does not protect a woman's right to breast-feed in public places.

The YMCA does allow breast-feeding in other areas where parents and children are permitted to be together, including the locker rooms and lobby.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/6005947/detail.html

Um, no water allowed in the pool area? Because people might ... ? Help me out here.

[elehhhhna]

1. but low slung swmsuits w/ pubes hanging out--fine.

[Scout]

20. one reason why you're not supposed to have food or beverages

at the pool???

I wouldn't eat my own meals on the pool deck at the Y, nor would I breast-feed my infant. Who know what germs are floating around the pool area ... that's why they put chlorine in the water for fucks sake.

The story in the Ann Arbor News also quoted the mother as saying it was too inconvenient for her to ask the older child out of the pool to one of the areas where breast feeding is allowed ... poor mom, she just can't coordinate the visits to the pool for Maxwell around little Ansley's breastfeeding schedule.

It's a health code violation to allow eating at the pool, and since it's against the rules/law the life guard must deal with it ... thus distracting the life guard from their more important duties of GUARDING LIVES.

I've got no problems with this rule at all ... mom should do a better job of scheduling, or perhaps, leave little Ansley with a sitter while Maxwell is swimming? I live in Ann Arbor, and trust me, if they can afford a family membership to the new facility, they can afford a sitter for an hour or two ... mom can pump some breast milk for Ansley and leave it, or let the sitter take Maxwell to the pool.

[BlueJazz]

2. Well, Goodness Gracious..I certainly don't blame the fine .....

.. citizens of the YMCA.
I mean, who wants to see some disgusting filthy Baby feed on his
Mothers (Probably Doped-Up) Milk??

[AgadorSparticus]

3. WTF is wrong with people that breastfeeding is considered "obscene"???

It's a pool area, for crying out loud!!!

[bee]

6. Thats easy. Breasts are obscene in America Period.

Having a child attached doesnt change that. Personally... I dont find the human body obscene. But most murkins do. sex is evil and all that hoorah.

What I find hilarious is that they cite it to the "no food allowed" rule.
All I can picture is... Sorry Ma'am, youll have to leave your breasts at the door.
How dumb.

[Renew Deal]

15. WTF is wrong with respecting their rules?

She can breastfeed in any part of the facility besides the pool.

[AgadorSparticus]

18. And what exactly is the "rule"? So, should all women who are lactating

be banned from the pool too? :crazy:

[Scout]

22. she wasn't banned, certainly not from being in the pool just because

she's lactating.

For fuck's sake, can't people read anymore?

She was asked not to actually feed the child in the pool area, but to go to one of several other areas in the same building to do the breast feeding.

[AgadorSparticus]

24. for fuck's sake, didn't you read the post? it wasn't because she

was breastfeeding. it was because there is a rule of no food or drinks in the pool area.

[Scout]

25. yes, no food or drinks allowed in the pool area

and she WAS in the act of breastfeeding her child...

An Ann Arbor woman says she was asked to stop breastfeeding her baby

she was asked to feed the infant in other areas in the building where breastfeeding is just fine and dandy, and food and drinks are allowed, such as the lobby or the locker room.

[Scout]

21. did you even bother to read the actual story? no you didn't.

it's not about obscenity.

It's a health code violation.

[AgadorSparticus]

27. so if it's about a health code violation, I ask, "should all lactating

women not be allowed to go into the pool?" Maybe you are a man and may not realize this, but lactacting breasts can leak--all on it's own...with or without baby. And on that note, what about spit? Not that anyone would purposely spit in a pool, but when you spit out water, there's bound to be some saliva involved. And sweating? Should we not sweat too? These are all bodily fluids that we take universal precautions on in the hospital.

My whole point is that the health code violation is an excuse to ban breastfeeding from an area because some find it offensive. They won't come outright and say it's offensive, but they will limit it under the guise of a stupid rule.

Was this woman a gushing fountain of breastmilk spraying everyone and everything? Maybe breastmilk is so potent now that just being NEAR it will contaminate an entire body of chlorinated water and make an entire community sick.

What I find MOST amusing is that resorts have swim up bars and restaurants. And that's OK. But a mother breastfeeding her baby NEAR a pool is not.

[knitter4democracy]

4. This is just silly.

Food isn't allowed for humans who can walk away and go somewhere else to eat--that makes sense. Food isn't allowed for humans who cannot eat any other way, who cannot move around to go somewhere else and eat--that doesn't make sense.

Babies need to nurse when they need to nurse. The mom shouldn't have to leave a place that's barely clothed to go somewhere to nurse, and her baby shouldn't be held to some odd food rule that obviously wasn't written with breastmilk in mind.

[Ilsa]

5. Maybe if she explained that it isn't food, but living cells she is

transferring to the baby, they'll go, "Oh!" and STFU about it instead of creating ill-will.

[KyndCulture]

7. Ok that's the winner!

of the dumbest shit I've heard all week... WTF is wrong with those people?!

[Karenina]

8. EVERY FETUS MUST BE BROUGHT TO TERM

but once it becomes a living, breathing, human being FEEDING her/him becomes a "problem." :rofl::rofl::rofl:

[FreedomAngel82]

9. I do see where they are coming from

You got kids and all that there and some parents are uncomfortable with their kids seeing breasts. I personally could care less and if I had a kid I would just tell them what's going on. I remember one time at my church there was a woman sitting in front of us and she was breast feeding her baby during the sermon. :crazy: My brother was sitting behind her and could see the whole thing and you could tell he was very uncomfortable and shiffting around. Quite frankly if that was me personally I would have gone to the nursery just because that's how I am (shy).

[politicat]

10. I guess I can see the Y's point - no food for anyone in the pool area.

It's not the best rule (I can see making an exception to the rule and they should have) but if they're going to say babies can have the breast, then they have to make exceptions for hypoglycemics to have cans of ensure and diabetics to have candy and etc....

But having been around pools where no one really cared what went into it, I'm kind of glad that the Y doesn't allow food in the pool area.

[TheGunslinger]

13. But that's typically for a couple of specific reasons:

Trash.

Food and water (in bottles) typically results in trash, food crumbs, etc. I suppose that makes more of a mess for them to clean and runs the risk of someone stepping and slipping on trash and falling or maybe trash/food crumbs getting into the pool and potentially clogging the filter.

But breastmilk? If it spills, where's it going to go? The mother's clothes or the baby's clothes.

Is sneezing going to be prohibited in the pool area, too?

[politicat]

17. Sure. I agree with you.

I just see their Rules Lawyer, "I am the Law" perspective. I don't necessarily agree with it, but I can see where they're coming from.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

11. Check 'em at the door, ladies.

How absurd this PC country is getting.

The YMCA is way overpriced, anyway. Screw 'em.

[meganmonkey]

12. This case is NOT about obscenity!!

Just for the record - this particular case has nothing to do with obscenity - women can breastfeed in the locker room, the lobby and sitting areas....It is just a rule for the pool area - 'no food or drink'.

I am not commenting on the rightness or wrongness of the Ys decision, I am just trying to clarify this particular case.

[Renew Deal]

16. That's the way I see it as well.

:think:

[Renew Deal]

14. I don't see a problem here.

It's a quirky rule, but it's their rule. She can breast feed in other areas. No biggie.

[CornField]

19. Well, Sparky, if you let these little babies get away with that...

the next thing you know you'll have hairy rednecks bring in their Coors with breast-shaped can covers.

:eyes:

[BlueIris]

23. WI, go kick MI's ASS!

In Wisconsin last year, a nice state senator named Fred Risser tried to pass a bill that would have made it a big, fat crime (with a $200 fine and everything) to harass mothers who need or want to nurse in public. I just Googled and couldn't find any info about whether or not Risser's bill passed, but--DUDE, at least that state doesn't have its collective head up its ass where breastfeeding is concerned. Badger State, take your enlightenment over to the Wolverine State, could you?

[Scout]

26. Breast-feeding mom runs afoul of Y's pool policy

I encourage everyone to read this article as well, from the Ann Arbor News

http://www.mlive.com/news/aanews/index.ssf?/base/news-16/1136994078120310.xml&coll=2

Wednesday, January 11, 2006
BY TRACY DAVIS
News Staff Reporter
An Ann Arbor woman is upset that the YMCA will not allow her to breast-feed her baby in the swimming pool area.

Kelly Fuks said she was told it's a distraction to the lifeguards.

The Y says it is a health issue because it violates a "no food and drink'' rule in the pool area. Officials say she can breast-feed in many other parts of the building.

The issue arose Dec. 22 when Fuks took her 6-month-old daughter, Ansley, her 3-year-old son, Maxwell, and a friend swimming at the Y in downtown Ann Arbor. Fuks said a lifeguard approached and told her she could not breast-feed Ansley on the deck of the family pool.