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?

This thread is a perfect example of what is wrong with AIBU.

Loads of people have answered without reading the OP properly and just dived in telling the OP off, spreading all sorts of misinformation, beingjudgey about using phone (in STATIONARY traffic jam) scaremongering about death on the hard shoulder (with STATIONARY traffic whizzing by? Though obviously you cannot use the hard shoulder because it is needed for emergency vehicles), being derisory and telling her to ignore her baby without asking it's age or when it was last fed.

A mixture of thick, judgmental and snotty.

To a woman alone, unsure and with a distressed baby.

Shame on the AIBU effect and all who fall for it.

Hello all very sorry I've only just come back on to let you know how things went.
thank you so much to the people who have private messaged me to offer support.
He is a PFB and he is 6 weeks old he had been screaming for some time and I was getting very worked up. After reflection yes it probably was a daft question but at the time I was desperate. luckily I manage to calm him down after what seems like forever and we made it home

Glad you're home safe, and all is well. There is nothing on earth more brain numbing than your baby crying when you're powerless to do anything

I had this with my ds on the m25 for hours on a boiling hot day and i didn't know what to do. It was soul destroying. Never again!

Glad you're both home safe, op.

Well said Blu.

OP glad you made it home safely.

Glad you made it home safe OP. Sounds like a rough day!

Glad you're both safe, Jemima. There's nothing that clouds your mind more than a screaming, hungry baby. At 6 weeks, I'd barely been out with mine and don't have a clue what I'd have done in your situation.

I've actually posted to thank you because this thread's made me seriously think about what I'd do if I broke down on the motorway with my two (twin toddlers). What do people think would be best? Putting them both in the twin pram or putting one in a sling and carrying the other?

6 bloody weeks! You would have been within your rights to do practically anything in that situation! I for one am glad I've learned about calling 101 as I have a toddler and a newborn.

And in that scenario Matilda, I would do the buggy and then push it up the verge.

Both in the pram and up the verge, that way they are both contained.

Glad all ok op, luckily that hasnt happened to me yet but its s scenario that gives me nightmares!

I am glad you got home safely OP.

I know someone who was stuck in a motorway hold up with an elderly, confused relative who was starting to get distressed. She called 101 for advise and they said, if things did not get moving soon, they would come and get him off. Thankfully the traffic cleared soon after but it is good to know it's an option.

I think I would have got in the back and fed the baby while keeping a very close eye on what was going on up ahead and, the minute I saw traffic start to move, popped him back in the car seat and headed for the next services but it's easy to say when you are not actually in the situation.

We were stuck in crawling traffic and 4 week old dd was howling. I climbed in the back and bfed her by leaning over her seat my back still hurts!

slithy I've done in carseat feeding before too.

I've sat in jam on m25 for so long before the police actually started to turn people around and drive them he wrong way round the road to the previous junction! I got out the car to go wee on the verge at least 3 times, no one was goin anywhere and most people weren't even in their cars after first we hours there! In a real jam like that, you can obviously feed a baby where you sit waiting! I've been on a hard shoulder in the vehicle for a lot longer than those times on numerous occasions as disability sometimes makes it hard for me to safely get out and up a verge. Thankful now I've not been one of those scary statistics, and even gladder I've got a new and more reliable car! Glad you weren't tuck there half the night op!

this is when you wish you were bottle feeding, there are times when its easier!

Bottle feeder here, not it's not. You still need warm water and to supervise the baby while they eat. If they start choking, they're strapped to a seat and you need to quickly be able to get them out, which is time lost where seconds count. If you take them out to feed, it's a hassle to get them back in the seat before you move again if traffic lets up.

Glad you got home ok op.. also glad to see a few more posters wading in to offer support. I honestly couldn't believe the nasty attitude when I first posted. And now we know your baby is so teeny tiny I hope some of those nasty posters hang their heads in shame. Enjoy your newborn

I think it is down to age, a few years ago there was a spate of deaths both on the hard shoulder and a couple of cases of people trying to do 'U' turns on the motorway.

Anyone else remember there were gaps in the central reservation so emergency vehicles could get across.

OP

You are in a frustrating position, but that is 100x better than putting yourself and your baby in danger.