Breastfeeding mom goes to Dallas hot springs for a staycation. Then the 23-year-old manager humiliates her—and bans her from pumping

A woman from the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area decided to take a day trip to  WorldSprings for a celebration. Then she said an employee and a manager stopped her from bringing her pump inside the business, effectively stopping her from breastfeeding.

Emily Lopez (@emilylopezzzz), a new mother, went to a mineral hot springs retreat to celebrate her birthday and an anniversary with her partner. However, when she arrived at the wellness retreat, she was stopped before she could even walk in. She said two young male employees prevented her from bringing in any liquids and told her she was not allowed to pump on the property. 

Her TikTok recounting her experience received more than 1.7 million views, with commenters sharing they canceled reservations with the company after seeing the post. 

What Happened At World Springs?

Lopez went on a day trip with her husband to Dallas. The couple made hotel and dinner reservations, as well as plans to visit WorldSprings, a mineral hot spring located in the area. 

Lopez brought her Willow pump with her, along with some ice packs. She said that as a new mom, she is actively breastfeeding. She didn’t think anything of it when she tried to check in with her bag. 

Lopez tried to keep things light. She mentioned in passing that she had her breast pump with her. Lopez said an employee, who she described as being around 17 or 18 years old, stopped her. She said they told her, “You can’t bring any liquid in here.” 

“ He immediately was like, ‘Should I just go get like my manager?’ And I was like, ‘Yes, not a problem. Like you’re just doing your job. I totally understand. Definitely just go get your manager,’” Lopez said.

The employee left and brought back his manager, who Lopez estimated was around 22 or 23 years old.  

“He walks out… like super puffed up and like chest up, and he was like, ‘You cannot bring that in here,’” she recalled the manager saying. 

Lopez was taken aback.

They Refuse To Let Her Bring It

From there, Lopez asked what she should do with her pump. The manager told her she would have to take it to her car. Lopez said she then tried to ask what she would do if she needed to pump halfway through the spa trip.

“ So what’s the plan whenever I need to pump in the middle of the day,” Lopez recalled saying. “Do I just bring you my like, you know, what I’ve pumped and I can just… Can someone bring it out so I can pour the new milk in it?” 

Lopez said the manager told her that she wasn’t allowed to pump at all. According to Texas law, businesses cannot prohibit women from breastfeeding in public spaces. Tex. Health & Safety Code § 165.002 specifically says that “A mother is entitled to breast-feed her baby in any location in which the mother is authorized to be,” and includes the right to express breast milk. The Texas legislature also recognizes breastfeeding as the best method of infant nutrition.

In order to go inside WorldSprings, Lopez’s husband had to take her breast milk to the car. She ended up throwing away the milk later in the day. She brought her pump inside WorldSprings anyway and pumped in the restrooms, but she said she felt “nervous” from then on. 

“ I ended up like crying during part of our massage. I was so upset and like stewing on it for the rest of the day. It just like ruined that part of the trip,” Lopez said.

The Mary Sue reached out to Lopez via TikTok direct message and comment for more information.

@emilylopezzzz @WorldSprings I think we need to do better. It’s 2026. #breastfeeding #pumpingmom #worldsprings #momtok ♬ original sound – emilylopezzz?

Did WorldSprings Respond?

WorldSprings eventually posted a statement regarding the situation to the company’s social media.  

A portion of the statement read as follows: “Regarding a recent guest experience shared online, we want to clarify our policy and share how seriously we take this matter. There are few things more important than ensuring moms are able to pump comfortably and privately, while also taking time for their own wellness. The information our team communicated was incorrect, and we take full responsibility.”

The wellness retreat turned off comments on its Instagram post. Viewers who saw Lopez’s video after WorldSprings posted the statement, however, still expressed discontent with the company. 

“Too little, too late. They owe her big time and should be in legal trouble beyond a lawsuit,” one commenter said. 

Other commenters recommended that Lopez seek an attorney before discussing the matter with WorldSprings. 

The Mary Sue reached out to WorldSprings via email for more information.

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