A SHOCKED mum told today how she was ordered to stop breastfeeding at a public swimming pool - in case her baby contaminated the water.
Rebecca Hough was told to leave a public swimming pool because she had breastfed her son [SWNS]She got out of the water and began feeding him a few steps from the main pool only to be told to stop by a manager.
The official told stunned Rebecca, from Torpoint, Cornwall, that her tot could be sick into the water and contaminate it.
She was directed towards the changing rooms and told not to return for half an hour to make sure Max had digested all the milk.
Rebecca says the intervention of staff at the Lux Park Leisure Centre, in Liskeard, Cornwall, left her feeling angry and embarrassed.
She said: "I got in the pool with Max.
"He's a breast fed baby and always has been.
Rebecca was told not to come back until Max had disgested the milk [SWNS]I was polite but I should have argued against it
"I got in the pool and he was a bit unsettled, so I decided to give him a really quick feed, as more of a comfort thing than anything else, rather than a full feed.
"I went to the side of the pool and up some steps away from the pool.
"I noticed the lifeguard go onto his walky talks, and then a manager came out to speak to me.
"They told me I would have to leave and not come back until the milk had digested.
"The pool wasn't busy and I wasn't showing off my boobs, but they asked me to sit in the changing rooms.
"I just said it was fine, but I was a bit embarrassed and when I left and got home I started to get a bit angry."
The Equality Act 2010 makes it illegal to discriminate against a woman for breastfeeding in a public place but pool staff say they were simply trying to maintain water quality.
Tempus Leisure, which runs the pool, says the manager involved has written to Rebecca to apologise for any upset caused.
But Rebecca, who lives with partner Chris Conn, 32, a driving instructor, says other breastfeeding mums could be put off going to swimming baths.
The manager of Tempus Leisure has since apologised to Rebecca [SWNS]She said: "I'm a confident feeder but some girls aren't and something like that could really shake their confidence.
"I was polite but I should have argued against it.
"It's a lovely pool - really warm and clean and I have been there loads of times - but I felt really embarrassed by being asked to leave when I wasn't doing anything wrong."
The Lux Park pool hosts weekly parent and toddler pool sessions and is one of a dozen facilities run by Temple Leisure across Cornwall.
Marketing manager Marc Laundon said: "This is very much an issue of maintaining water quality as we work hard to keep the water in all our pools safe and clean.
"The member of staff was concerned that a baby that has just been fed could very easily be sick in the pool.
"This would obviously not be pleasant for other users and could potentially lead to a pool closure which would inconvenience many other customers.
"At the moment we don't have a specific policy on breastfeeding on poolside as we assume most customers realise the implications and it has not previously been an issue.
"The centre manager in this instance has written to the customer apologising for any upset and made a judgement in advance of a company-wide policy being introduced that it is currently acceptable at that centre.
"We seek to make our facilities open and welcoming to everyone of all ages but the priority is always the health and safety of everyone."
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