to breastfeed on the hard shoulder?

[Jemima1988]

currently in stand still traffic on the motorway and I have been for over an hour.
I have a screaming baby in the back should u use the hard shoulder?

Arthur's right. The baby will eventually stop crying and doze off, or you'll eventually stop panicking about the crying. Sitting tight is the safest thing to do, then come off the motorway as soon as traffic starts moving again.

This is nothing against the OP because she was clearly panicking about feeding her baby, but it is scary that she doesn't know about the hard shoulder.
Why, I wonder is the message not getting out, my 10 year old dd could tell you and she isn't the brightest.
My ds x2 used to know what to do in an emergency, I wonder why the OP wasn't informed.

What a horrible situation to be stuck in, but it isn't going to hurt your baby to wait.

Turn the radio up (I know that sounds awful but you just need to get through this).

Wow those life expectancy figure are shocking.
Hopefully your bsby will doze off for a bit, must be awful not being able to do anything.

It's surprising how many people don't realise how dangerous it is to be fair.

All the posts about the hard shoulder being massively dangerous only apply when traffic is moving. If the traffic is actually stationary it's not so dangerous. Still inadvisable though - if an ambulance were to be racing up the hard shoulder it would have to stop while you stopped what you're doing and get the baby strapped in and got the car out of the way - that delay could kill somebody.

Either (a) put up with the screaming or (b) try buckling the baby car seat in the front and leaning over with an exposed boob as a pp suggested

My friend pulled onto the hard shoulder to rest as she was tired she got a massive ticking off by the police and told to go to the next service station.

Still what if the traffic starts moving ? OP has no idea when that might be.

My friend got told off by Police for stopping on hard shoulder to fasten her son's belt when he'd undone it on motorway. They said she should have come off at next exit and found somewhere safe to stop. I think her case for stopping is better than yours. I'd put car seat in front seat and feed baby in driver's seat but pop her straight back in car seat if traffic starts to move again. Perhaps put your hazard warning lights on in case you can't move immediately.

If your stationary with the engine off its quite ok using your phone I'd have thought?!

It's quite entertaining that people are advocating getting out of the driving seat and breast feeding in the back but then saying you need to GET OFF YOUR PHONE IMMEDIATELY!

I recon that having a baby attached to your breast in the back of the vehicle has more potential to cause issues than using a phone in a standstill.

I'm astounded the OP even considered this! I'm even more astounded people think it's ok just to climb in the back, stuck in traffic.

OP, i haven't for anything useful to say other than I'm sorry for you, and that if you stick your finger in their mouth they might nod off for a bit? If it lasts for ages then I don't know what I would do, I'm so sorry for you that you are in this situation, if the traffic is at an absolute standstill then get in the back and dangle boob in and be prepared to get back in quickly then you haven't got to get her back in car seat. Put in front so you can comfort is a good idea too.

When you're on your phone you're not concentrating on your surroundings, the OP shouldn't be on her phone at all.

I've just asked 4 newly driving teenagers if they knew what to do if your break down on the motorway not one of them even when prompted said "get away from the car". I took it as an opportunity to show them some info about the hard shoulder and stunned would be an accurate description of the reaction.

I expect its one of those things that experienced drivers assume young/new drivers just know so don't bother talking about it

Who needs to concentrate when the traffic is gridlocked?

Is motorway driving even covered in regular lessons?

No it isn't.

I just checked and asked dd who is 10.
I said should the lady feed her screaming baby on the hard shoulder.

In fact bless her, she didn't know I had already responded and begged me to tell the lady not to as a car could bang into them and the baby could be killed, even.

I think we should thank the OP and use this opportunity to educate our children.

I didn't think it was, wasn't sure if that had changed. I know I covered it in a pass plus course but not everyone does those do they? So maybe that's why so many people are unaware how dangerous it is?

We were once in total gridlock on the M1 and most people were out if their cars. Ds did a wee in the fast lane.

If it's truly stationary op then climb in the back and feed. Don't unbuckle baby just lean over.

If it's stop start remember your baby will be ok. It's just dreadful though and I guess we have all been there. Xx

morethan your first post made me laugh and the second post was a bless her.

Those stats of survival were bloody scary.

I seem to remember seeing a similar thread on here once and the advice being to phone 101 and the local police will come to you.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a1725193-To-ask-if-any-of-you-have-lived-through-one-of-my-worst-nightmares

Are you the driver?

You cAnt call the police to let them watch traffic whilst you feed a baby .... What a waste of sparse resources.