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Zoo wouldn't let me BF in the playroom today

iris427iris427 member
in Babies: 9 - 12 Months

We were at the zoo today and they have a playroom that is free but you have to have tickets for.  The room also has a changing and nursing area, with boppies.  The room was intended to also be a nursing mom's area, since there is nowhere else private for a mom to breastfeed there.

At the end of our zoo trip, we stopped by and I asked the employee if I could come in to change and nurse my baby.  She told me I couldn't come in without a ticket and all the tickets had been given out.  I told her it was my understanding that it was a place for moms to nurse and she told me it was only if you had a ticket, and she refused to let me in.

I was really annoyed.  So I can only nurse my baby in the playroom if she happens to get hungry at the right time to get a ticket that doesn't even cost money.  Plus this chick was all snotty and had this smug smile the whole time.

I know her supervisor and I'm thinking of complaining that the zoo will not let nursing moms into the playroom without a ticket, and has no other private area to nurse.  What do you think?

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Re: Zoo wouldn't let me BF in the playroom today

  • LucyPevensieLucyPevensie member
    You should absolutely complain. I'm sure her supervisor will not be happy to hear how you were treated.
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  • cops_wifecops_wife member
    I'd complain. It's not like your BFing 5-month-old was going to be taking up a lot of room playing. I hope you plopped down right in front of the chick and whipped out a boob. She sounds like a real peach.
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  • Indychic1022Indychic1022 member
    I would definitely say something. 
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  • Stacyc625Stacyc625 member
    So i would have BF'ed right in front of her right outside. but then again i am not one who is bothered by NIP.
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  • macaroni1979macaroni1979 member
    That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! I would've asked for her supervisor right then and there!
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  • carolinagcarolinag member
    i'd complain. i love the stl zoo and i'm shocked by that!
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  • goodtobethelarkstergoodtobethelarkster member

    Okay... I'm kind of confused because our zoo works differently so let me see if I'm understanding correctly.

    The zoo playroom requires tickets to enter and is nursing mother friendly complete with boppies.  But if the free tickets have already all been given out then you can't go in because they assume that the playroom is "full."?

    If I'm understanding correctly then that's bullsh!t.  If it's full it's full.  Okay.  So Iris can't play.  But I don't see how you going into nurse messes with their full playroom.  And also their ticket system doesn't seem to make a hell of a lot of sense. 

    I would complain.  If they have a space for nursing mothers it needs to be accessible to nursing mothers no many how many 3 year olds are climbing all over the rest of the playroom, kwim?  It seems like two separate deals...

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  • iris427iris427 member
    imagegoodtobethelarkster:

    Okay... I'm kind of confused because our zoo works differently so let me see if I'm understanding correctly.

    The zoo playroom requires tickets to enter and is nursing mother friendly complete with boppies.  But if the free tickets have already all been given out then you can't go in because they assume that the playroom is "full."?

    If I'm understanding correctly then that's bullsh!t.  If it's full it's full.  Okay.  So Iris can't play.  But I don't see how you going into nurse messes with their full playroom.  And also their ticket system doesn't seem to make a hell of a lot of sense. 

    I would complain.  If they have a space for nursing mothers it needs to be accessible to nursing mothers no many how many 3 year olds are climbing all over the rest of the playroom, kwim?  It seems like two separate deals...

    Your understanding is correct.  Doesn't make sense to me either.

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  • iris427iris427 member
    imagegoodtobethelarkster:

    Okay... I'm kind of confused because our zoo works differently so let me see if I'm understanding correctly.

    The zoo playroom requires tickets to enter and is nursing mother friendly complete with boppies.  But if the free tickets have already all been given out then you can't go in because they assume that the playroom is "full."?

    If I'm understanding correctly then that's bullsh!t.  If it's full it's full.  Okay.  So Iris can't play.  But I don't see how you going into nurse messes with their full playroom.  And also their ticket system doesn't seem to make a hell of a lot of sense. 

    I would complain.  If they have a space for nursing mothers it needs to be accessible to nursing mothers no many how many 3 year olds are climbing all over the rest of the playroom, kwim?  It seems like two separate deals...

    Your understanding is correct.  Doesn't make sense to me either.

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  • nooniesgalnooniesgal member
    I hardly think your dd was going to clog up the slide.....I would complain.  There should be exceptions to every rule (even dumb ones).
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  • SoxChampsSoxChamps member
    Go for it!!
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  • BlessedMommy723BlessedMommy723 member
    I would complain simply because there is no other private place for you to nurse.
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  • pamela-mattpamela-matt
    I think I would write a nicely worded letter...makes no sense that you must have a "ticket" to get in an nurse and that they only give out so many. ?If it is for nursing, then it should be open to anyone that needs to nurse their child
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  • LynnInLove1007LynnInLove1007 member
    Complain!!! Your child needs to eat and I CAN'T believe she denied your child food.
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  • HisWifeHerMomHisWifeHerMom
    Hello! I didn't realize you were from St. Louis too! I am not suprised by this. Our zoo has some neat attractions and I admit, we go there frequently, but they seem very money driven, the ticket thing they do alot there.And I saw signs the last time I was there that advertised this play room you are speaking of and then it said you could nurse in the new medical station they set up? Don't know how true that is. I would totally complain. Especially if the girl was a b**ch.
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  • Heather RHeather R

    imageLynnInLove1007:
    Complain!!! Your child needs to eat and I CAN'T believe she denied your child food.

    lol, they did not deny her food; they denied her mother entry.  Big difference.

    Although I think it was a stupid call, seeing as how iris would have caught sh!t for NIP from other tourists.

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  • iris427iris427 member
    imageHeather R:

    imageLynnInLove1007:
    Complain!!! Your child needs to eat and I CAN'T believe she denied your child food.

    lol, they did not deny her food; they denied her mother entry.  Big difference.

    Although I think it was a stupid call, seeing as how iris would have caught sh!t for NIP from other tourists.

    Haha yeah, I could have still NIP'd--but the playroom has boppies!! LOL

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  • Good2BdaMommyGood2BdaMommy
    I absolutely think you should complain. That is a ridiculous policy and makes me believe they have a nursing mothers' area more as a PR tool than as an actual service to mothers and families. As it is, the room is pointless, just as you said.
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  • 1MusicMaker1MusicMaker
    It can't hurt anything to complain; otherwise they will think their system is working.
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