Breastfeeding Mom Forced Into Bathroom At Arkansas Water Park

A breastfeeding mom said that personnel of the Parrot Island Water Park in Fort Smith, Arkansas, told her if she wanted to feed her child, she would have to do it in the bathroom.

The news quickly went viral once it found its way onto a closed Facebook group, with many individuals lashing out at the city- and county-owned facility.

Allison Reeves-Plummer was one of many who took to the social media platform to blast the park and its policy-making.

“Policies and training on women’s rights to nurse in public need to be addressed,” she commented. “Nursing mothers should be encouraged, not harassed and/or made to feel less than simply because they are nursing their child(ren) in public. Seriously hope you make the appropriate changes and SOON.”

Jennifer Vinci agreed.

“Does not support nursing mothers,” she said in her 1-star review. “Thinks breastfed babies should eat in the bathroom. Won’t be taking my family!!”

“After hearing of your park’s actions against a nursing mother,” adds Kristeen King, “I am glad I have not yet visited. And I won’t be.”

The backlash against Parrot Island has been intense, as evidenced in the 5NEWS coverage of the incident. Thus far, the news site’s coverage has received more than 1,400 likes on Facebook and hundreds of comments, with most expressing disapproval.

This has prompted an apology and response from the site’s general manager, William Miller, who issued this official response.

“In respect to all breast feeding mothers, Parrot Island understands the need and right to breast feed young children. We not only understand your rights to breastfeed in a public place, but we support your rights. We allow breast feeding anywhere in the park and this policy is reviewed often through our routine staff training. We truly regret the incident in question that occurred with a staff member who did not communicate our policy effectively. We have followed up with the staff member in question and will continue our training efforts with all staff members throughout the remainder of the season.

In addition to the right to breastfeed throughout the park it has been our intent to offer, if desired, accommodations in our air conditioned offices for additional comfort.

Being a father of three boys who were breast fed, I will work hard to make sure our policy is understood and followed by all staff members. I sincerely apologize for the incident, as well as, the confusion and hope that all mothers understand we have a policy dedicated to be more accommodating to both mother and child.

I can be reached at the park’s management office if anyone has additional questions.”

Still, there were some who sided with whichever of the park’s personnel told the breastfeeding mom to take her child to the bathroom.

“Why should anyone even have to ask?” wrote one anonymous commenter. “Have some decency and feed your kid in private.”

Roseann Marie Basant agreed.

“Be polite, breastfeed in private. Hormonal young boys don’t need the distraction.”

This isn’t the first time a breastfeeding mom has been asked to do it in private. The Inquisitr previously reported on this mom who was asked to “cover up” when she began breastfeeding her baby at the table.

What do you think, readers? Should breastfeeding be allowed in public, and was Parrot Island right or wrong to take the action that it did? Sound off in the comments section.

[Image of Parrot Island via 5NEWS, linked above]