Police Called on Breastfeeding Mom at Public Pool — Even Though Breastfeeding is Completely Legal

  • by: Care2 Team
  • recipient: Mayor Jack L'Heureux and City Council of Mora, Minn.
Earlier this summer, Stephanie Ellingson-Buchanan and her sister-in-law Mary Davis took their kids to Mora Aquatic Center in Minnesota for a fun day at the pool. They were all having a great time — that is, until Stephanie's 3-month-old baby became hungry.

Stephanie was wearing a one-piece swimsuit, so she decided to remove a strap and breastfeed her son at the pool. Unfortunately, a woman at the local pool got upset and asked Stephanie to cover up since her sons were in the pool. A staff member saw the confrontation and came over, also telling Stephanie to cover up or go to the locker room. She refused.

The problem is that breastfeeding in public is 100% legal in Minnesota, and Stephanie had every right to breastfeed at the pool, which she told the staff. Please sign this petition to stand up for women's right to breastfeed in Minnesota.

But the incident didn't stop there. The staff then called the police. When an officer arrived, he told Stephanie she had to leave. She informed the officer that she was within her legal rights, but he said the establishment had the right to ask her to leave. Eventually, Stephanie left and shared her story on social media.

The fact is, breastfeeding is a natural part of life, and Stephanie should never have been shamed for it. It was up to her to decide where the most comfortable, sanitary place to breastfeed was, and when she decided to breastfeed at the pool, the law was on her side.

Mora Aquatic Center is owned by the city of Mora in Minnesota. In order to rectify the discrimination Stephanie faced as a breastfeeding mom, we're calling on the city of Mora to put up a policy on their website explicitly saying that they will follow state law allowing women to breastfeed in any and every city facility, and to commit to training all city employees to adhere to the state law. Please sign this petition now.
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