after years of "hoping" i'd have the opportunity to respond to one of these
breastfeeding in public situations, i finally was present for one - though
i am not breastfeeding anymore!  i'd love input before i send this letter,
if anyone has insight.  in addition, if anyone wants to send a letter - the
more the better i'd say!


Mr. Dave Miletich, Manager of Recreation
Division                               August 21, 2003
City of Vancouver
P.O. Box 1995, Vancouver, WA 98668

Mr. Miletich,
I am writing to tell you how upset I am that my friend, _____________, was
harassed for breastfeeding at the Jim Parsley Center yesterday.  I am a
lactation consultant and a former breastfeeding mother, and I am appalled
at your staff's lack of knowledge  both of Washington state law and public
health issues pertinent to managing a swimming pool.

I was sitting with my friend in the zero depth portion of the pool while
she was breastfeeding, when a lifeguard approached and asked her to go to a
dressing room to "do that."  When asked why, the lifeguard stated people
were complaining.  When my friend informed the lifeguard that her request
was a violation of Washington State law, the lifeguard stated that
breastfeeding in the pool was also a health hazard, and specifically
mentioned HIV.  When told that this was incorrect, she called her manager,
who came in to speak with us.  Her manager repeated the same conversation,
and when told of the law, again, she switched to public health as the
reason for not breastfeeding near the pool.  Ultimately, my friend was told
she couldn't breastfeed *in* the pool (which is also absurd) but that she
didn't have to go away from the pool area to breastfeed.

There is absolutely no justification for any breastfeeding mother to be
treated this way at a public facility.  Washington law protects a woman's
right to breastfeed anywhere she and her baby have a right to be.  In this
case, my friend had a t-shirt over her bathing suit and had no more skin
exposed than any breastfeeding mother anywhere  but that is beside the
point, because the law further states that exposing the breast to
breastfeed does not constitute public indecency. It is a tragic commentary
on our society that a woman feeding her child in the most natural and
healthiest way possible would be made to feel as if she were somehow doing
something shameful that ought to be hidden from public view.    It is just
these kinds of attitudes that undermine the confidence of new mothers and
dissuade others from even trying to breastfeed their babies.  In addition,
neither the Center for Disease Control nor OSHA classifies human milk as a
body fluid that requires handling under universal precautions.  Unless
breastfeeding mothers are banned from swimming in pools altogether, the
risk of milk getting into the pool is actually higher if a lactating woman
is swimming without a baby attached to the breast.  When the baby is at the
breast, the milk is actually going *into* the baby, not the pool!  In any
case, if the pool is adequately chlorinated to counter any infectious
organisms that might be found as a result of urine, saliva, or fecal
matter, then certainly a few theoretical drops of human milk pose no threat!

The Parsley Center is managed by the school district, in partner with the
city government and a health clinic, among others.  If anyone should be
working toward better protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding,
than surely the government, the school system, and the healthcare system
ought to be at the top of that list.  If even organizations designed to
promote health and education cannot get it right, how can we expect the
general public to change its attitudes about the natural way of feeding
babies.

I hope this incident was simply a lapse in training, and that you will be
able to reassure me that breastfeeding mothers in our community can
continue to bring their children to your pool in confidence that they will
not be harassed for feeding their child in the optimal manner.  Please call
me at (360) 281-4719 or email me at [log in to unmask] to tell me
what steps you are taking to be sure this kind of appalling disregard for
children, families, and community health will not happen again.   As a
demonstration of your commitment to be a truly family-friendly pool, I hope
you will incorporate into your lifeguard training and into your written
policies, Washington State law regarding breastfeeding, CDC information
regarding the handling of breastmilk, and a statement of support for
breastfeeding mothers.  My friend also should receive an apology for the
humiliating treatment she received at your facility.  In addition, a sign
posted at your pool welcoming mothers to breastfeed, and a bench or chair
in which to do so would go a long way toward backing any claims of support.

I hope you will educate yourself to learn why you have an obligation not to
undermine the breastfeeding relationships of your customers.  I would be
happy to provide written materials or in-service training on that topic, if
you like.   I have enclosed a few paragraphs taken from the CDC web site
and also regarding WA State law, for your preliminary edification.  Please
contact me within the next week to let me know how you plan on handling
this issue.  Thank you,

Lyla Wolfenstein, IBCLC
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Mother of two children,
Clark County Resident

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