25 July 2023 , 15:39
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A Georgia mother said she was told she couldn't breastfeed her 11-month-old baby at the water park over fears her breastmilk would 'get into the water'.
Tiffany Francis' shared the incident at Rigby's Water World on Facebook, claiming that she experienced discrimination against nursing mothers who breastfeed their babies in public.
Tiffany described in her post that it was her usual practice to nurse her baby to sleep in the Lazy River when his nap time approached. She explained, "He likes motion to sleep, he sleeps well in the car or swing, so he will also sleep in the Lazy River."
However, her day quickly turned sour when a lifeguard approached her and told her she was not allowed to breastfeed in the water.
Tiffany Francis' shared the incident at Rigby's Water World on (WGXA)Initially, Tiffany thought it was a tasteless joke, but when another staff member was called in to reiterate the rule, she realized they were serious. Despite her request to see the posted rules, she found no mention of breastfeeding restrictions.
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Upon speaking with the manager, she was pointed to the "No food or drinks in the water" rule. The manager seemed to equate breastfeeding to food and drink, which left Tiffany feeling humiliated.
She said: "I asked, ‘So my boobs aren’t allowed in the water?’ Imagine all the bodily fluids being excreted into the water, but they’re worried about breastmilk when the baby was latched, my breast was out of the water, and the milk was only going into [my] baby’s mouth.
The incident took place at Rigby's Water World in Warner Robins, Georgia, a popular water park (@rigbyswaterworld/instagram)"But really, it wasn’t even about him eating in the water — it was about it making other guests uncomfortable." she wrote.
Tiffany attempted to seek a refund but was denied so decided to leave the water park. The incident garnered attention when she shared her story on social media.
One woman responded on Facebook, "I breastfed both of my children but would have NEVER done so at a recreational park."
However most responses were in support of Tiffany, who said she had received messages of support from other mothers, as well as dads and even those without children.
Georgia state law explicitly protects the rights of breastfeeding mothers. Georgia code 31-1-9 states, "the breastfeeding of a baby is an important and basic act of nurture, which should be encouraged in the interests of maternal and child health. A mother may breastfeed her baby in any location where the mother and baby are otherwise authorized to be."
Following the social media uproar, Tiffany Francis received apologies from both Steve Rigby, the owner of Rigby's Water World, and the general manager. However, she described the apologies as insincere and felt that they only came about due to the backlash they faced online.
The apology, she said, noted "that while it’s not the best practice, feeding is now allowed anywhere."
Fox News Digital, who originally reported the incident, reached out to Rigby's Water World for a statement but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
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