AIBU to think KLM's breastfeeding 'policy' is absurd?

[Celebelly]

'Breastfeeding is permitted at KLM flights. However, to ensure that all our passengers of all backgrounds feel comfortable on board, we may request a mother to cover herself while breastfeeding, should other passengers be offended by this.'

This was posted on their official Twitter today.

'Permitted'. Thank god it's 'permitted' to feed your child.

AIBU to think this is ridiculous?

People seen to forget breasts are for feeding offspring,they have been too sexualised now. My friend had an older woman tell her off for publicly breastfeeding as there are men and children around like her husband. My friend just shouted ‘WELL WHY THE HELL ARE YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND LOOKING AT MY TITS?’ The woman retreated quite fast.

From the sound of the policy, the other customers ‘comfort’ will always trump the mother and baby.

What if the mother was as discreet as could be without a blanket and someone complained just because they are a bell end? It does not sound like the steward will tell him them they are being unreasonable. Form that tweet complaint = covered with a blanket regardless of the degree of exposure.

The lady who had an encounter with the steward states both that she was discreet and that no one complained.

@QueefMoon But surely no Mum is going to have their entire breast out like that woman in the picture???? I breastfed my DD and wouldn't dream of getting my entire breast out like she has there. That's exhibitionist

happylone why not feed a one year old? They are still a baby and I am offended by your insinuation that breastfeeding at one is harmful.

Cover herself? I found MY BABY FEEDING AT MY BREAST tended to do most of the “covering”. And if he was fussing or colicky or sad and pulling away, my attention was on him and not an inconsequential stray nipple.

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER Well said!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

@HappyLoneParentDay ODFOD with your nonsense about feeding after 1.

I fed mine past 1 as recommended by the WHO and on flights it helps their ears. Why would I bother carrying bottles of expressed milk when I have fresh available without equipment? To accommodate you and the other prudes?

@NEtoN10 No women feed in public like that!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yes they do!!!!! Especially since breastfeeding exhibitionism became trendy!!

@brightfutureahead But why should they? It's about self respect, dignity & common decency. Something this country is severely lacking these days....

“FYI: Your policy should be to have staff ask if she would like a pillow and/or a LARGE glass of water and an extra snack. FULL STOP.”

@HappyLoneParentDay well aren't you a peach. You're one of the ones I'd like to spray with my magnificent let down.

TITLOPPERS UNITE

@HenSolo Someone having a different opinion to you, does NOT make them a troll? Did your parents not raise you to respect the fact that other people have differing opinions to yours?

@HappyLoneParentDay you're talking a lot about dignity and raising with respect. However you don't seem to respect that babies need to be fed to be kept alive, and sometimes it's hard to do that "with dignity". I'm helping to teach my 3 month old son to grab at the moment. So when I feed in public (with a Muslin, because I do attempt to cover up sometimes) he generally grabs it and pulls it away. And I give absolutely no shits. My nipple is in his mouth and I really don't get what's so "undignified" about that. It's so fucking sad that people tear mums down when all they're doing is keeping their kid alive.

I fed mine past 1 as recommended by the WHO

What business does Roger Daltrey have telling women how to feed their children?

@HappyLoneParentDay 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣.

To think if anyone actually still thought that misogynistic twaddle.

But why on earth would any mother be Physically breast feeding a 1yr old child?! From the actual breast? Scar the buggers for life! You can take pumped milk onto a flight no problem

But pumps don’t work in countries with different voltages (like North America and much of Asia). So you might be able to pump for the flight out, but not on the flight back.

(Leaving aside the fact this is a goady post from somebody who’s obviously never BF or pumped in his life)

HenSolo, I think you are overestimating the control your average pubescent boy over his anatomy if you think he always has a choice at that age.

There is probably little more excruciating than being a teenage boy sandwiched between a woman with her breast on show on one side and, perhaps his mother in the other side.

A little tact and thoughtfulness go a long way.

There is probably little more excruciating than being a teenage boy sandwiched between a woman with her breast on show on one side and, perhaps his mother in the other side.

Oh Jesus Christ, now babies shouldn't get fed because a teenage boy might have some tingles in his pants?

Once my DCs were over 9/10 months they refused to be covered up. I never purposely whipped my tits out to feed them but sometimes they were briefly visible as baby latched on.

I remember on one flight I had realised after we were on the runway that the nursing cover was in the overhead bin. Not allowed to stand up and get it, baby crying for a feed. I wonder what KLM would say in that situation? Make the baby wait until we're airborne because someone doesn't like you BF without a cover?

'....whilst looking around presumably to see who is looking at them feeding'

Or just looking around? I tend to swivel my head and eyes now again whilst breastfeeding.

I have never, ever heard the breastfeeding v public urination argument come from someone who claims to support breastfeeding. Always a first I guess.

ffs I can’t believe that attitudes like many pp actually exist in this day and age. I fed DS1 mainly in toilets or at least behind closed doors for the first few months of his life before I became confident to bf in public and I’m still cross with myself now for it. Once I did venture out I never had a negative comment or anyone even bat an eyelid.

I’m currently 8 months into bfing DS2 and I’ve given no shits since day one about people seeing, and again never even had anyone so much as glance in my direction. And the other day I had to bf standing up at CBeebies land in the queue for the postman pat ride, and although I was one up one down-ing ds kept pulling my top up. So quite a lot of boob on show but no one was paying any attention what so ever.

I tend to one up one down, or wear specific BF tops, but I also love to wear dresses and play suits which need to be button down or wrap. I tend to wear a crop top I can pull up under them, or a bf vest but in this heat it’s just too many layers, so yes I’ve had too pop a whole boob out in public recently. I’m already restricted in what I can wear as a lot of my wardrobe gives no access at all for feeding, why shouldn’t I wear what I like and feel comfortable in without having to worry about offending anyone? Mothers make sacrifices every single day for their children, why the fuck should I modify my clothing choices to appease a stranger? But as I say, this is theoretical as no one in real life has ever had a problem with the way I feed my baby.

I can’t get too worked up about this tweet, to be honest. I live in the Middle East and fed my DD through to 14 months, and I regularly fly KLM from here. I always feed discreetly in public and use a cover when I’m more exposed, as it’s just a part of respecting the local culture; in the same way I have to be careful about not showing the soles of my feet (really!) or use my left hand to eat with. Yes I think all three of those things are bonkers and unnecessary, but it’s not a big deal to me to do them, same as it’s not a big deal for me to be discreet when feeding.

I understand the feminist argument against this, but I’m not one for getting my knickers in a twist over things so much these days!

I just spent a redeye flight listening to a family of 6 chew gum openmouthed all night. would rather put a blanket over their heads tbh.

Eminybob

You are speaking my language. Now that DS is one he rarely feeds during the day. I want to start wearing normal clothes again! Or should I wear breastfeeding clothes on the 1% chance he wants a snack of milk?!?

People are unbelievably ignorant, as this thread shows.

@Somersetlady it’s a complicated question and I wouldn’t dream of banning or restricting formula. But then if we as a society value breastfeeding and want to improve rates of breastfeeding I’m going to say cutting funding of breastfeeding support groups/lactation consultants isn’t the way forward.

My Baby is 2 months old. In our county the NHS have recently defunded all the lactation groups, who are now managing on charitable grant funding and user donations. The health visitor isn’t trained in breastfeeding support. My midwife isn’t allowed to offer breastfeeding support after 4 weeks (exception for tongue tie to 12 weeks as she has an additional qualification/specialism in frenectomy). This just doesn’t chime with the NHS pushing breastfeeding at every single antenatal appointment.