A Texas mother says she was told by staff at World Springs, a hot springs and wellness center in Dallas, that she could not pump breastmilk while on the property during a visit with her husband. She shared her experience in a TikTok video that has since gone viral, getting thousands of comments from viewers who say the facility’s response was both wrong and potentially illegal.
The woman, who goes by Emily on TikTok (@emilylopezzzz), said she and her husband had planned the trip to World Springs to celebrate their anniversary and her birthday. Emily said she brought her breast pump and a small container of breastmilk with her, as she is currently pumping for her newborn baby at home.
According to Emily, a young staff member noticed the breastmilk when checking her bag and told her, “You can’t bring liquid in here.” As found by The Nerd Stash, she said she explained it was breastmilk, but the employee repeated that no liquids were allowed and went to get a manager.
World Springs’ own FAQ states guests are allowed to pump anywhere on the property
Emily said the manager, who she described as a young man in his early twenties, came out and told her in what she described as a rude tone, “You cannot bring that in here.” She said she was “fully taken aback” by how the situation was being handled, as she had expected the manager to clear up the misunderstanding. According to Emily, the manager told her she would have to leave her breastmilk in her car, which she said concerned her given the outside temperature was around 95 degrees.
The two eventually reached a compromise, Emily said, where staff agreed to store her breastmilk in a refrigerator behind the front counter. However, she said that when she asked what she should do when she needed to pump during the visit, the manager told her, “You can’t pump in here.” When she pushed back, asking what she was supposed to do, he told her she would have to leave the property and pump in her car. Breastfeeding and pumping moms have gone viral in relatable parenting moments before, though Emily’s situation drew attention for a very different reason.
Emily said she was “speechless” and told the manager she had been able to bring her breast pump to the Dallas Airport without issue. According to her account, the manager confirmed she would not be permitted to pump anywhere on World Springs’ property. She said in her video, “You’re telling me I can bring my breast milk to the Dallas Airport, but I can’t bring it into World Springs,” to which she claims the manager responded, “Yes, ma’am.”
Her husband apparently walked the breastmilk back to the car, but Emily said it was lost because the heat in the vehicle made it unsafe. Despite being told she could not pump on the property, Emily said she brought her pump inside anyway and pumped in a bathroom, ultimately dumping the milk down the toilet because she did not know what else to do. She said she ended up crying during part of their massage and that the situation “ruined that part of the trip.” She ended her video asking her viewers, “It’s 2026. Am I crazy?”
Her video got a significant response in the comments. One commenter quipped, “I’d be like, so can I bring my breasts in or no?” Another commenter said, “This is ILLEGAL in Texas BTW. You need to call corporate.” A user going by ADHDlandia urged Emily not to communicate with World Springs without an attorney, writing, “Please Emily, do NOT communicate with them AT ALL without an attorney. And do NOT sign or accept any terms from them. Many attorneys here are asking to represent you bc they know they’ll win. And this isn’t just about you. It’s about ALL women.”
A reporter for CBS News Texas also left a comment on the video, asking Emily to share her story with the outlet. Texas has seen other cases of mothers facing legal trouble involving their children make headlines in recent months.
Several commenters also pointed to World Springs’ own website FAQ, which states, “WorldSprings welcomes guests who need to pump during their visit. Guests may pump in any area of the property where they feel comfortable.” The FAQ also says the facility offers a dedicated lockable lactation room and refrigerated storage for expressed milk within their locker room facilities. World Springs has not publicly responded to Emily’s account as of the time of this writing.
Published: Jun 8, 2026 04:45 pm