BlueFit to continue focus on safety and commits to further staff training on breastfeeding awareness

Following mainstream media reports on a mother being told to stop breastfeeding while poolside at the Hurstville Aquatic Centre in Sydney's south, facility operator BlueFit has committed to further training of its staff.

9News and other sources reported yesterday that Sydney mother Layla Kalach had been told by two male lifeguards to stop breastfeeding while feeding her 14-month-old daughter while sitting at the edge of the Centre's baby pool, with her older toddler nearby.

9News’ article said the mother was left "fuming" and "embarrassed" by the interaction.

In a statement to 9News made immediately after the incident, BlueFit General Manager Brett McEwin said "mothers are welcome to nurse anywhere at all in BlueFit-managed facilities", adding “recognising the busy environment, the lifeguards expressed concerns regarding safety while positioned on the poolside nurse feeding her infant.

"However, we acknowledge that the lifeguards' engagement with Layla could have been improved.

"We are very sorry that Layla had a negative experience, and we hope this incident will serve to better inform everyone in all public facilities that mothers are serving the best interest of their babies and are within their legal rights when breastfeeding in public."

Commenting on the incident to Australasian Leisure Management, BlueFit Chief Executive, Todd McHardy advised “we want everyone to enjoy their experience in the facilities we manage and we acknowledge that this situation retrospectively could have been managed better, as most can. BlueFit will always admit when improvements can be made, however, we will continue to ensure safety always comes first.

“Further staff training will be released out on the back of this, doubling down on aquatic supervision and adding to existing training on communication skills. Our young staff are under all types of pressures.

“Our industry leading leisure management system allows us to immediately push specific training to all or select groups of staff as videos, questionnaires or site-based observations. This can use real situations like this and is linked to Time and Attendance blocking to ensure all staff complete the required training so we can improve as a collective group to learn from these types of incidents.”

McHardy went on to reference the company’s “strong stance on safety”, which has previously been reported when an individual parent of three young children was turned away from the Bexley Aquatic Centre that it manages due to the facility having only deep water and site based rules on supervision of children under-fives.

He added “we have a proud history of supporting young mums in the BlueFit family and manage socially positive and inclusive community leisure facilities. We have apologised to Ms Kalach and hope to see their family back at Hurstville soon, and we'll wrap our arms around these young lifeguards.”

Australia has no laws against mothers’ breastfeeding in public and women cannot be asked to leave a building or facility because they are breastfeeding. However, as advised by the Australian Breastfeeding Association “there is no law against a member of the public telling (a mother) to stop breastfeeding.”

Click here to read the 9News report.

Image: Hurstville Aquatic Centre. Credit: Georges River Council.