Nursing Mom Upset at SFGAm

[chiatrain]

The Chicago Tribune story can be found here.

A mother who was nursing her 4-month old daughter at Six Flags Great America/Hurricane Harbor is upset with the park. The mother was in one of the wading pools, before she was told to leave by one the Hurricane Harbor's lifeguards. She and her family are Season Pass holders, but haven't returned to the park since last month.

[RBull4life]

Did she really HAVE to breast feed in the middle of a wading pool?? I mean, it's not like there is nowhere else to go. She should have told her son to leave the pool for a few minutes while she feeds her kid. Go get him a cotton candy or something. Jeeeeeez. Beleive me, I am not against a women whipping out her breast to feed her kid, but you have to show alittle common sense here and there.

[twixmix0303]

I agree, it's a matter of following laws. I think that if she's threatening to break the law next time she comes to the park, her pass should be revoked without refund.

[Timmy179]

She never threatened to break the LAW. The LAW actually says mothers can feed their babies anywhere they want to.


For SF, they are basically screwed, the only argument they have is that it is a health risk, and I dont see that holding up in court.

Edit: just to make things clear, Im on SF's side on this one, but I just dont think they have a chance if this goes to this countrys court system.

[RBull4life]

and informed her the park had two private areas for breast-feeding moms, Gray said.

I don' think one of them is the wading pool.

"I got out of the pool and continued feeding my baby on a chair beside the pool, and then I left,"

She forgot to add, "after waiting 40 minutes to enter Hurricane Harbor."

"Our policy is breast-feeding mothers are welcome at our park," Six Flags spokeswoman Michelle Hoffman said. "We just ask, if possible, for them to do it discreetly."

Thank you Michelle. Unless of course the woman is a hottie.

"That's the kind of discrimination we were trying to stop," he said. "It sounds like they want to segregate nursing mothers and their feeding babies."

No, no, no. Alittle commen sense as to where they breast feed would be helpful though. You have got hundreds of grown ups, and kids running around, splashing water, and doing other things in the wade pool (I assume that this is in Skull island). When I was there two weeks ago, we had a nice chairs, towards the back, but yet, not far away from anybody. That would have been perfect, and she would not have been "segregated".

Citing health concerns as the reason for asking a breast-feeding woman to get out of a swimming pool also is irrational, said Mary Lofton, a spokeswoman for La Leche League International, based in Schaumburg. Health officials at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that breast milk is a safe fluid, she said

Yeah, and if the baby would have gotten very ill because of her breastfeeding in the pool, this woman would have been all over Great America like a baby nursing on a breast. (pun intended). Oh, and I sure the hell hope that breast milk is a safe fluid.

"I have to get my nerve up," she said. And when she does go back, Gray said she has no plans to hide

Please, if you insist on doing it in a wading pool, please do. Don't hide anything. Let it all hang out.

I am sick of stories like this with people who cannot use common sense. I ask again. Why Mrs Gray could you not simply tell your son to please leave the pool for a few mintues while I feed your brother/sister. Its not going anywhere. It will still be there when you get back.

[Galvan]

Give me a break.

I dont want to see someone breast feed in public. There is no reason in hell that woman needed to plop her breast out in the middle of a wave pool an start to feed her baby, that is not only wrong but disgusting when done in front of the whole damn world.

As usual i support Six Flags, because this in one word is...

disgusting.

[playerplex]

Is the wading pool the wave pool or the kiddie area?

[The Beast]

Not only does no one want to see that but it's also very unsanitary. I don't want to swim in water that someone has been breast feeding in...Just personal preference there.

[coastermadness05]

yeah come on, thats not really something Id want to see while im trying to enjoy myself in the water.. but theres always someone that has to make a point out of something.

[Iggy ACE]

OK first off I agree this woman could have been on a chair if see needed to watch her other kid that bad. Second this woman DID feed her child descretely by pinning a blanket on her swimsuit strap. I fully agree that a woman should be allowed to breastfeed their children in public. It is natures way and how it was intended to be in life. It is not DISGUSTING it actually is a beautiful thing. Do you think it is disgusting when you go to the Zoo and see a baby gorilla, giraffe,zebra or any other animal feeding on its mother? Do you complain to the zoo that the animals should have a private area to feed its young. No you don't. When a kid is hungry you feed it. Don't get me wrong I think this woman shouldn't have been in the water, but she was, no big deal. For all that are worried about the milk spilling in the water... do you realize how many people actually PEE in that water? Now that is disgusting but it happens every day!!!!!!! That is why chlorine was invented, to keep the waters clean.

To all complaining just wait till you have kids and see how things are and not that easy as you think they are. Grow up!

Iggy-- who's wife breast feeds in public all the time but has a blanket to cover up and you DON'T see anything, and who is on both sides here but more for the woman!

[Drkstarboard]

WOW! That was powerful. I truely felt the anger. Well said.

[Galvan]

It is disgusting...


First of all it was not at a zoo... It was at a water park in front of children and in front of people that should not be subject to that.

I honestly dont think that a baby sucking on its mother teet is beautiful either..




Dont give me that lame ass excuse about "Well, your not a parent.. you wouldn't know. I dont think it is acceptable for anyone in public to breast feed. Do that in the privacy of your own home, or in the designated area in which it is not in the public view.

AND NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF A FREAKING WATERPARK.

I think Iggy is missing the point... She fed her baby in the middle of a water park. Its not like SF said, no you cant fed her/him period, just not in public view.

Whats with society these days that they have to bring there personal business into the forefront for everyone to see.

[twixmix0303]

"Six Flags officials are investigating Gray's allegations. If true, they would violate a nearly year-old state law permitting women to breast-feed children in public."

Timmy179, sorry, I read it as preventing. My fault, it was late at night.

The theme park policy for shirts is that they must be worn by everyone, including males. Obviously, this doesn't go for the waterpark, however a little common sense would say that a female should be kept covered there, too. It is hard to say whether her breasts were covered or not, however, I still think that if the park provides a private area for breast feeding, it should be forced to be used. Kind of like the restrooms.

[CoasterDude12-2]

I think she should have every right to breastfeed her baby. She was obviously covered. If you think it's a beautiful thing, paint a picture of it. If you think it's disgusting, very simple, DON'T LOOK!

[EagleFan344]

I agree 100% with Galvan. Come on, little kids are in the area, they shouldnt have to look at a baby sucking on their moms boob.

[twixmix0303]

I think she should have every right to breastfeed her baby. She was obviously covered. If you think it's a beautiful thing, paint a picture of it. If you think it's disgusting, very simple, DON'T LOOK!

Hmmm...if I pull down my pants and you get angry, I should just say "don't look?"

[Galvan]

^

If you pulled down your pants in front of me, i probably kick you... before you had the chance to say dont look

[twixmix0303]

ouch

[RBull4life]

To all complaining just wait till you have kids and see how things are and not that easy as you think they are. Grow up!

Got two of them myself, and my wife never would do anything like this. She never did, and if we decide to have anymore, she never would. She would have found a better place to do it, plain and simple.
I am not saying that she doesn't have the right to breast feed in public, all I am saying is that she could have found a better place to do it instead of in a pool. I don't want to have my inqusitive (sp) 3 yr old seeing that. Even if she was coverved up.

[LAFFfan4lyfe]

i agree with most people here, saying that's just disgusting. In a locker room it wouldn't be a big deal, neither would it be on a bench or a lounge chair. but in the wading pool??? That's just sick.

[SFGAm Rules]

I think that she would have the right to breast feed in public, but as about everyone here agrees, why would she feed the baby in the pool? Think if the baby was a little older. Would she bring a little jar of baby food in the pool and feed him there? Maybe she would, but most people with common sense would go to a chair on the side of the pool and feed him there.

[Director_Guy]

It's fine to breast feed in a public place. I have no right whether to say she can or can't do that. But Six Flags is not a public place. It's private property. And there for, can make their own rules for pepole to follow....or am I wrong?

[Galvan]

^

You'd be wrong, because Mc Donalds would be private property, and its the same situation.


The Law is surpreme over pretty much everything.

[Director_Guy]

I did not know that

"Now You Know"

[shocker]

"That's the kind of discrimination we were trying to stop," he said. "It sounds like they want to segregate nursing mothers and their feeding babies."

That's like 'discriminating or segreagting' someone who needs to urinate by making them go into a bathroom