A Georgia mom was asked to leave a waterpark after publicly breastfeeding her baby

Apparently, you have to leave your boobs at home next time you visit Rigby’s Water World, a Georgia waterpark. The mom of an 11-month-old son Tiffany Francis was nursing her baby in the lazy river, where he likes to fall asleep while they float (who wouldn’t, right?). After her baby latched, a male lifeguard said, “Ma’am you can’t breastfeed in the lazy river.” At first, she thought it was a joke, but when the lifeguard persisted, she headed to the rule sign he’d cited as having the notice on it. Except it didn’t have a rule about breastfeeding in public at the waterpark.

What was on the sign was a rule, that you can’t have food or drink in or near the water. When she escalated the situation to a manager, this was the rule they referenced.

“So then he smartly said well it says no food or drinks in the water. I asked, so my boobs aren’t allowed in the water?” she wrote in her Facebook post. She left the waterpark crying. So, Francis requested a season pass refund which she was denied. Since, her post has been shared 860 times, with over 1,000 comments, including some from the waterpark Vice President of Operations Steve Brown, sparking a national debate about a parent’s right to breastfeed in public, and an additional debate about nursing in water.

Georgia law states that “a mother may breastfeed her baby in any location where the mother and baby are otherwise authorized to be.” In spite of this, it’s a fight breastfeeding parents have been battling for years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that nearly 70% of the country is comfortable with parents breastfeeding in public, and have that right. 

But clearly the employee was in the other 30%. After some argumentative posts on Facebook, Brown issued a statement:

“After reviewing other cases on this subject and conducting a survey among other aquatic professionals. There were some good arguments for and some good arguments against allowing it. However, going forward, I will not prevent breastfeeding mothers from nursing their child in the pools at Rigby’s Water World. Even though it could be considered by many to not be the best practice, mothers have the right to breastfeed their child wherever they chose. It has always been common practice on the pool deck, but now it is allowed in the pool if a mother chooses. I would like to apologize to Tiffany for asking her to not breastfeed in the pool and, by that, not creating the best experience for her today. I will send a memo to our team to let them know the change to this policy. I would like to thank those of you who conducted yourselves in a positive way to shed light on the subject. Sincerely.”

Francis states in her post that the view of her breast is always covered by her nursing child’s head, “But somehow I made people uncomfortable by doing the most natural thing I could do for my child, while just trying to let him nap.” She posted photos in the comments of her original post showing how not only can others barely see the child’s head cradled in her arms, but it was impossible to see a breast unless you were looking pretty hard.

“Mind you, this was also at a water park where most people are wearing very little clothing but my son and I were offensive,” she adds. “I guess they’d rather babies just go hungry.”

Some commenters, including Brown, expressed concerns about whether nursing in water is “best practice.” One commenter wrote, “I breastfed both of my children but would have NEVER done so at a recreational park, in the water that is full of chemicals (and probably urine, etc). How safe is that for your child? Come on lady, surely you are better than this!!” But to the contrary, the CDC says “it is unlikely that breastfeeding in the water presents any more risks for babies and young children…than the risks associated with regular pool or splash pad use for babies and young children.” Another accused Francis of trying to have her “15 minutes of fame.”

At other waterpark and amusement parks where similar incidents have occured, nursing mothers have organized “nurse ins,” in which they all bring their babies to nurse in response.

Hundreds of other angry parents showed support for Francis on her post, saying “[Brown’s] feelings don’t trump the law,” and “I’LL take my big fat a** up there naked!! THAT will give them something to talk about!!!”