Breastfeeding mother left ‘upset and appalled’ after water park told her to stop nursing son in lazy river

‘I left crying because I was told I couldn’t feed my child,’ says mother of two

Amother says she was left humiliated after water park staff told her she wasn’t allowed to breastfeed her nursing son in the lazy river.

Tiffany Francis, a mother of two, from Georgia, took to Facebook on 14 July to detail the incident that allegedly occurred at Rigby’s Water World in Warner Robins, Georgia. Her Facebook post has since gone viral, with more than 1,000 likes and comments.

“I have never in my years of being a breastfeeding mother had one single negative comment made to me about breastfeeding while out in public. I’ve had supportive comments from random people, but today was a different day,” she began her post.

The mother then explained that she’d brought her 11-month-old son to the water park’s lazy river so she could nurse him before his nap. “He likes motion to sleep, he sleeps well in the car or swing, so he will also sleep in the lazy river,” she wrote.

After her son was latched, Francis recalled that a lifeguard informed her that she wasn’t allowed to breastfeed in the lazy river. At first, she laughed off the lifeguard’s request because she thought it was a joke. Then, his boss came over to Franics and reiterated the lazy river’s rules against breastfeeding.

“I asked her if it was posted somewhere and she told me that it was posted in the rules out front,” Francis said. “So I got out of the lazy river, and I went to read the rules.”

The mother of two soon discovered that there was no rule against breastfeeding posted outside the lazy river attraction, and asked to speak to the water park’s manager. However, the manager instead claimed it was a “courtesy to other people” that she wasn’t allowed to breastfeed and cited the park’s rules against food or drink in the lazy river.

According to the woman, she then asked for her family’s season passes to be refunded. “I can’t go there if I can’t get my son to nap while I’m there,” Francis said, noting that the water park staff wouldn’t refund her season pass.

“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 [the] baby’s mouth,” she continued. “I left crying, because I was told I couldn’t feed my child, which by the way it is against the law to tell a mother they can’t breastfeed their child. But sure, let’s worry about offending people by feeding a child.”

Francis also pointed out how she witnessed several children sleeping in their mothers’ laps in the lazy river, and other children with their heads resting on their moms’ chests. “My situation looked just like theirs, my breast wasn’t exposed. My son’s face was covering everything,” she said. “Without looking extra hard, you’d think he was just asleep on my chest. 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.”

Francis continued: “I’m just so upset and appalled and wanted to give a heads up to all the other moms out there that this is how breastfeeding moms are treated at Rigby’s Water World. You’re also not allowed to bring snacks in for the baby, so I was told today. I guess they’d rather babies just go hungry.”

According to Georgia state law, which states that the “breastfeeding of a baby is an important and basic act of nurture,” a mother is allowed to “breastfeed her baby in any location where the mother and baby are otherwise authorised to be”.

In an interview with People, Tiffany Francis described the incident as “humiliating” and noted that other breastfeeding mothers have since come forward sharing similar explanations about being shamed in public.

"I just really didn’t think anybody would care. You’re at a water park. People are already pretty naked there, right? I don’t think it was the most offensive thing to happen that day," she told the outlet.

One fellow mother wrote: “Girl! Call me any day I’m off and we will go. I saw a mom nursing the other day and kept an eye on her just in case anyone approached. Wish I was still nursing because I would nurse right next to you!!”

“What?! Sounds like a good old nursing mama sit-in needs to happen,” another commented. “How is that even still a ‘thing’ in 2023.”

Meanwhile, one dad said: “Wow, as a father this is unbelievably wrong. Anyone should be able to feed their kid anywhere without a problem.”

Speaking to The Independent, Tiffany Francis explained that she was “stunned” when the water park staff told her she couldn’t breast feed her son in the lazy river. “I’ve never had anyone shame me publicly for breastfeeding before this instance,” she tells us.

While it made her “sad” to hear from other mothers who’ve also been “shamed and embarrassed” for breastfeeding in public, she hoped that sharing her experience could help raise awareness and encourage businesses to change their policies on breastfeeding.

“Many of the comments I’ve received have been hateful, but knowing I’ve spread awareness and given other moms a voice, that’s something to be proud of,” Francis said. “So many moms came out and said they were afraid to feed in public because they didn’t want to experience what I had. They are afraid of what others may say, or the looks they will receive. We as moms already deal with so much guilt on a daily basis, we don’t need anything else added in attempts to shame us.”

The mother of two noted that several moms have told her how they “would always cover up, go hide in their cars, or feed in the bathroom” when their nursing child was hungry. “They shouldn’t have to do that!” she said. “Nobody else eats in hiding or in fear of being approached or made to leave somewhere. Moms are superheroes and get made to feel like utter trash by strangers for simply parenting.”

Since the incident, a member of the Rigby family – the owners of Rigby’s Water World – responded to the Facebook post in the comments section: “I know that breastfeeding is allowed in the park and I can understand the safety issues that come in hand with feeding in moving water. As for the courtesy of other guests, I agree that a mom should be able to breastfeed at any time, however an exposed breast in a water feature without a covering could be seen as indecent (we wouldn’t let another guest do the same).”

They noted that the water park does have shaded seating, family rooms, and an “admin building” designated for breastfeeding.

According to Today, Rigby’s Water World revised its breastfeeding policy within hours of the incident, and Francis said that they apologised to her for the “misguided” policy.

“We had a policy in place that didn’t allow breastfeeding in the river that was in line with the health department’s standard on no eating or drinking in the pools,” said Steve Brown, vice president of operations at Rigby’s Water World.

“When I was made aware of the law that mothers can breastfeed anywhere they’re allowed to be, we reviewed our policy, reaching out to other experts who operate aquatic facilities,” he says. “From there, we decided to allow our guests to breastfeed in the pools, should they choose.”

Georgia’s Department of Public Health rules and regulations for public swimming pools, spas, and recreational water parks states that “bathers shall not be allowed to eat or drink while in or partially in the water”.

“We were under the impression it was a health code violation,” Brown told the outlet. “It was a misunderstanding…it was my mistake to misinterpret the law…there are different opinions on this issue but we want to comply with the law.”

Brown added that Rigby’s did not issue Francis a refund for her season pass, and maintained that she was not asked to leave the park.

“I hope this encourages moms to know their rights and take a stand instead of being bullied and silenced,” said Francis. “Breastfeeding is so natural and it’s been sexualised to where people don’t accept it. Bottle and formula feeding is the norm, and the majority [of people] have no problem with seeing others in swimsuits covering barely anything – or at least they’d never approach them to say so – but people want to shame mothers and it’s wrong.”

The Independent has contacted Rigby’s Water World for comment.