oops - forgot to paste it:
Greetings friends and colleagues,
I just finished an interview with Colin Fogarty at OPB radio regarding the
breastfeeding at the pool issue that came up at the Jim Parsley Center here
in Vancouver Washington. The issue has been resolved beautifully, and Colin
created a show about it. The show will air tomorrow, Friday Oct 10 at 4:30
PM Pacific time. It is available on Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio which
in the Portland Area is 91.5. There is also a live-stream audio broadcast
on the OPB web site at www.opb.org at the same time tomorrow, and that
audio will be available on an onging basis, if you don't get a chance to
catch it live. I have no idea how the entire show is presented, but I will
be listening and I hope many of you all will too! Thanks for all the input,
support and advocacy many of you have provided regarding this issue!
I have pasted below the notice that the Jim Parsley Center sent out to the
lifeguards and staff conveying the new policy that arose out of this issue.
It is a tremendous response and could serve as a model when future such
issues come up.
Lyla Wolfenstein, B.S., IBCLC, RLC
email: [log in to unmask]
phone: (360) 281-4719
NOTICE TO ALL LIFEGUARDS AND SUPERVISORS
Recent incidents have brought to our attention the rights of breastfeeding
mothers and the importance of acknowledging this right.
As of the date of this notice, the following protocol shall be observed in
all pools operated by the Vancouver School District and the City of Vancouver:
1. BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS WELCOME. Breastfeeding mothers are welcome in and
around the swimming pools of the City and District. There is no health or
safety hazard associated with breastfeeding in the pool.
2. NO INTERRUPTION. The breastfeeding mother should not be interrupted or
disrupted. No action shall be taken towards the breastfeeding mother unless
there is a violation of the normal safety regulations in the pool.
3. ACCOMMODATION. If asked by the mother, or if the Lead lifeguard staff
feels comfortable taking an additional accommodation step, he or she may
courteously and discreetly approach a breastfeeding mother in the pool, and
tell the mother that she is welcome to use the benches around the pool or
the family changing area, if that would be more comfortable for her and her
child.
A storage bench is available in the JPC pool. In other pools, if there are
no benches or chairs available, the lifeguard can offer to bring one from
another area so that the mother may remain in the pool area.
4. RESPONSE TO OTHER PATRONS. If another pool patron complains when a
mother breastfeeds in or around the swimming pool, the Lead lifeguard staff
shall explain that mothers have a right to breastfeed in public. If the
patron makes any reference to nudity or public indecency, the Lead
lifeguard staff should be aware and inform the patrons of RCW 43.70.640,
which specifically exempts breastfeeding from public indecency. The Lead
lifeguard staff may also explain to the patron that mother's milk does not
constitute any public health risk in the water. If the complaining patron
still has objections and does not feel comfortable in the environment with
breastfeeding, the patron and child(ren) may leave and ask for a
replacement pass to return at another time.
Dated: September 26, 2003
Lyla Wolfenstein, B.S., IBCLC, RLC
email: [log in to unmask]
phone: (360) 281-4719
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