SALT LAKE (ABC 4 News) – Management with Seven Peaks Water Park said Monday they do not have a policy against breastfeeding and welcome any mothers who wish to nurse their children at the park.
The announcement comes after a Salt Lake mother, Katie Buhler, said a female lifeguard at the park told her to stop breastfeeding her seven month old son in public.
Buhler claimed the lifeguard said breastfeeding was against company policy. Buhler stayed at the water park with her children, but later called and asked to speak to management.
Buhler said a woman named “Sarah” reiterated the lifeguard’s reprimand.
“It’s just sad and this is not okay,” Buhler said. “I was so caught off guard; I didn’t even know how to respond.”
CEO of Seven Peaks Water Park Gary Brinton said Buhler was given the wrong information.
“That is not our policy,” Brinton said. “We do allow breastfeeding in our park.”
He said the park was not made aware of the alleged incident until Saturday morning when it was discovered on their Facebook page. The company publicly apologized to Buhler on the water park’s web page and on the ABC 4 News Facebook page.
Brinton has since launched an investigation into which employee gave Buhler the wrong information, but has yet been able to substantiate the claims.
Cheryl Conner, a corporate spokeswoman for Seven Peaks, said what may have happened is someone with a concern may have went to a lifeguard thinking they were the nearest representative of the park.”
“If that occurred and if one of the lifeguards misspoke, we certainly apologize,” Conner said.
Brinton said the company posted information on the Seven Peaks website stating mothers can breastfeed at the park.
If anyone has issues with people or policies at the park, they are advised to go to management.
