Francis recounted a troubling experience at Rigby’s Water World involving her son, Landon. While attempting to breastfeed him at the pool, she encountered resistance from the staff. Initially, she thought the staff member’s comment about a no-breastfeeding policy was a bad joke. However, the situation escalated when another staff member reiterated the policy, prompting Francis to seek clarification.
Upon reviewing the park’s rules, Francis found no specific mention of breastfeeding restrictions, other than the general requirement for babies to wear swim diapers. When she asked to speak with a manager, she was told that no food or drinks were allowed in the water. Francis questioned the logic, noting that bodily fluids were naturally present in the pool, yet breastfeeding was being scrutinized. Her frustration was rooted in the perception that the policy was less about hygiene and more about discomfort with breastfeeding in public.
Discontent and Policy Dispute
Francis expressed her outrage on social media, highlighting how breastfeeding mothers are treated unfairly at Rigby’s Water World. She felt deeply disturbed by the experience and subsequently requested a refund for her $92.99 season pass, which was denied. This led to her leaving the facility in tears. Francis cited Georgia law, which supports a mother’s right to breastfeed anywhere she and her baby are authorized to be. She pointed out that breastfeeding is legal in all 50 states and not considered public indecency in many of them.
She emphasized that she was wearing a one-piece swimsuit, and her son’s head covered more of her breast than her swimsuit did. The park’s crowded conditions left her with limited options for alternative breastfeeding locations.
Response from Rigby’s Water World
Two days after the incident, Steve Brown, the vice president of operations at Rigby’s Water World, reached out to Francis to apologize. He explained that the park’s breastfeeding policy had been revised following the incident and that staff had received updated legal training. Brown clarified that while the park had a policy against eating or drinking in the water, breastfeeding was always allowed in other areas of the park.
He invited Francis to breastfeed on the pool deck, preferably in the shade, and stated that she was never asked to leave the park. According to Brown, the park’s previous interpretation of health codes was mistaken, and the new policy would accommodate breastfeeding in the pools.
Legal and Policy Adjustments
Brown confirmed that Rigby’s Water World would not refund Francis’s season pass. He acknowledged that the previous policy was misguided and a result of misinterpreting health regulations. Rigby’s Water World now aims to comply with legal standards and support breastfeeding mothers. Brown emphasized that Francis was welcome to return to the park and breastfeed wherever she wished.
Francis’s Perspective
Despite the apology and policy change, Francis remains skeptical about returning to Rigby’s Water World. She expressed frustration with how the situation was handled and questioned whether the park’s staff expected her to accept the policy violation passively. Her experience reflects broader issues of how breastfeeding mothers are perceived and treated in public spaces.
