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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that breastfeeding in a moving car is unsafe?

55 replies

BertieBotts · 04/01/2012 21:01

Have just seen a discussion about this on another site. It seems a fairly common practice - and one I admit I did when DS was tiny and couldn't be settled any other way and XP wouldn't pull over because he was a cock.

But, looking back our of the fog of new-motherhood, sleep deprivedness, baby screaming hormone-induced desperation, it was a totally mad and stupid thing to do. I might as well have taken him out of his seat, if we'd crashed the full weight of my body would have gone right into him, the seat wouldn't have taken it, and he could have been seriously injured.

So I mentioned this on the site thinking that perhaps everyone who did it had been in the same sleep deprived and not quite thinking state that I was and hadn't thought about it rather than actually believed it was safe, but no, apparently it is possible if you just turn to the side and the baby turns their head to the side.

I have NEVER seen a car seat which would allow for this - not one for a few-month-old baby, especially. Surely it's impossible to breastfeed safely in a moving car, full stop.

OP posts:

LittleWaveyLines · 04/01/2012 21:03

Depends how big and saggy your breasts are I suppose

ObviouslyOblivious · 04/01/2012 21:06

That would never work in a rear facing seat?

gamerwidow · 04/01/2012 21:06

Maybe you could get away with it a toddler but not with a baby there's no way you could both be strapped in properly surely.

AnnoyingOrange · 04/01/2012 21:09

We used to stop at the services if I needed to breast feed.

LittleWaveyLines · 04/01/2012 21:10

Well recently I was sat in the central seat in the back, leaned forward and slightly to the side and managed to feed DD with my ginormous norks without my body being pressed against the seat. She's 6 months and in a rear facing.

Only works because my boobs hang low, yes they swing to and fro.....

McHappyPants2012 · 04/01/2012 21:11

www.ehow.com/video_4440957_breast-feed-car.html

easy to do so, did it alot

ObviouslyOblivious · 04/01/2012 21:11

I should also add it would never work for me as I'm the driver and DS is in the back :o

LittleWaveyLines · 04/01/2012 21:11

I still had the chest strap on and was no more leaning forward than if I was getting something out of the seat pocket...

bobbledunk · 04/01/2012 22:17

Some parents are to lazy to care what happens to their baby when an accident happens. Your son is lucky that you didn't end up in a crash, his injuries would have been completely your and your dh's fault had anything happened.

EauDeLaPoisson · 04/01/2012 22:19

No doubt many fanatics would think it was far safer than a bottle of formula in a mon moving car.....

Whatmeworry · 04/01/2012 22:19

You either live in cotton wool world or you don't. Stop fretting OP, you were fine.

SlinkingOutsideInSocks · 04/01/2012 22:21

The OP is fully aware of that bobbledunk, hence this very thread.

But way to well and truly put the boot in.

LittleWaveyLines · 04/01/2012 22:22

I must admit even so, I've only done it when stuck in a traffic jam with no hope of getting to a service station anytime soon...

LynetteScavo · 04/01/2012 22:25

In a traffic jam, I can forgive...but really if your DH won't pull over he is a complete and utter cock.

I have spent many a journey with my arm uncomfortably stretched to the back sit so my little finger can stay inserted into my baby's mouth.

lindsell · 04/01/2012 22:32

We live in London and traffic is v v slow and unpredictable and often nowhere convenient to stop - from the age of about 4mths I could feed Ds while he was in his RF seat and I remained strapped in, just about getting the angle right - I cannot see a particular risk in this scenario, the car is hardly fast moving - far less risky IMO than trying to drive with a screaming hungry baby... Of course my preference was to stop somewhere but not always possible. I would not have done it if I felt there was any risk to Ds

exoticfruits · 04/01/2012 22:35

Madness-no one is immune from an accident.

tiredfeet · 04/01/2012 22:38

ummm of course its dangerous. We had to endure some painfully stop-start car journeys but there is precious little point shelling out for a car seat otherwise

Isn't a finger in mouth also going to cause injury in an accident too though?

tiredfeet · 04/01/2012 22:38

ummm of course its dangerous. We had to endure some painfully stop-start car journeys but there is precious little point shelling out for a car seat otherwise

Isn't a finger in mouth also going to cause injury in an accident too though?

skybluepearl · 04/01/2012 22:42

I did it a couple of times. We were both strapped in to our own seas - baby in a rear facing car seat and I just leant over and fed him. I just assumed my seat belt would hold me back in an accident

Cabrinha · 04/01/2012 22:44

I did as LWL did. Saggy boobs come into their own! Rear facing seat, both of us strapped in. Would never have taken her out of her seat.

SkiBumMum · 04/01/2012 22:59

I once saw someone climbing / leaning right into the back of a car on the m6. Traffic was slow but no stopped completely by any means. We passed the car again a while later (just after services turn off!!) and the woman was back in the front, breast feeding! It made me wonder if I should call the police with the reg number tbh.

Mmmcoffee · 04/01/2012 23:00

When DH and I visited my SIL in the USA, she picked us up from the airport, DH sat in the front and I was in the back with a 3yo and 14mo, neither strapped in. The 14mo started crying, and SIL reached back with one arm, pulled 14mo through to the front seat, yanked the bar that let her push her seat waaay back, and bf. While driving. On the interstate, at 60mph, with no way to reach the pedals.

I was fucking terrified. But young and timid, so I didn't say anything, except to DH later.

The same SIL allowed the 3yo to ride standing up between the front seats, holding on to the headrests. The 3yo was trained to drop to the floor instantly if mom yelled "COP!".

They have both turned out lovely young ladies, god only knows how.

startail · 04/01/2012 23:00

No way. I can feed a baby walking around and a not so small child standing up, but I could not have feed her in her car seat.
Never felt the need to, possibly because DD1 would distract her.
DD1 wouldn't BF anywhere and always fell a sleep in the car.

YuleingFanjo · 04/01/2012 23:01

I've done it, without taking the baby out of his seat.

entropyglitter · 05/01/2012 01:12

Well I did recently BF in the back of the car on the A1 but the traffic was entirely stationary for about 30 mins before and after. I suppose if a lorry had dodged the barriers in order to run into the back of the 3 mile convoy then the concertina might just have reached us but somehow I doubt it.

I looked at the video and I dont like the look of all the slack in the seat belt. In an accident the belt will lock but will be doing little to restrain the mum in any direction except for forwards. Baby will probably fair no worse but the mum could be in serious danger. Also agree with fingers in mouths etc being a bit iffy. Mum's arm is also going to be a potentially dangerous randomly moving item in a bad crash.

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