When is breastfeeding a safety hazard...?

[TinkerBellesMum]

Thought you might enjoy this article.

See the first comment.

That is soooo funny - wonder if I can get moved to first class if I whip my boobie out on my next flight??!!!???

Interesting. I was told to stop breastfeeding on a flight, because they said that while the seat belt signs were on, I had to sit with dd2 on my lap with her back facing me. I could easily breastfeed her while keeping on the seat belts, (as I have done on many flights) but this wasn't allowed.

This was a dutch airline.

Belgo - yes I heard that too!
Nik76 - hehehehe not a bad idea, pity I'll be travelling Sleazyjet in October!

Well in applause for Easyjet (I know they get a lot of stick), I took my 5 month old DD to France in 2006, and she had decided that she HAD to have a feed just before the priority boarding sign had been lit. The boarding gate was only indicated at that point, and it was the furthest from where we were.

We ran (not easy whilst BF, and the air hostess instructed us on arrival to go to the head of the queue. We walked past almost every other passenger, breastfeeding as we walked, and the hostesses fell over themselves to help us. I asked for a lapbelt extender for DD, and she told us to just get comfy and she would come and see me in a minute. DD was asleep feeding by this point, and she came down with the safety strap, and gently slipped it around DD, fastening it to me as I fed her. Absolutely stellar service.

As an aside, my GP recommended BF babies on takeoff, because it helps to equalise the pressure, a bit like sucking a sweet.

Lou - that's good to hear

I've commented btw!

We took DS to see our in-laws when he was almost 3 months old. There would have been no way to avoid breastfeeding him on the flight, even though it was a fairly short one. I fed him on take-off and landing on both flights, as I had also heard it was good for equalising the pressure and had no problems - or complaints at all. We flew with BA.

i had the same experience as belgo. i just complied and then started feeding again when they weren't looking.

i can't believe that man throwing a blanket over her.

I've had that too Belgo. I just waited until the cabin crew were strapped into their seats and then started again.

I've been abroad twice since Tink was born and no one ever stopped me feeding her when the light was on. I had her in the sling and the belt on under it, I fed her on take off and landing the first time, I don't think she let me second time as she was a bit older. She won't have me with her next time

ofgs, far less breast is exposed whilst breastfeeding than in a great many tops women choose to wear.

good point stitch. I think a lot of these people just get embarrassed by the concept of breastfeeding, rather than the actul amount of flesh they see.

I've seen brides in church showing more bosom then I do when I'm feeding

I ended up having to bf DS1 (5 months) in the toilet on a longhaul flight. Our seat was right next to the toilet and he was too nosey/stroppy to feed with a queue of people standing next to us. The flight attendant was lovely and arranged for me to feed in one of their seats at the front of the plane but just as I'd got him settled the pilot came through and gave me a stern lecture about how inappropriate it was for me to be there while the co-pilot was trying to sleep nearby. He made me feel like a naughty school girl when all I had done was follow the FA's instructions. We fled to the toilet.

Was the only low point in a fabulous holiday where I got to bf in some truly bizarre places.

Fact is if you're travelling and it's feed time, you have no choice. Not to mention it's actually recommended at take-off and landing.

I've BFed on long-haul BA flights, short haul AA flights in the States, and once on an Air France flight, stuck next to a random guy- I tried my best to keep it as unobstrusive as possible.
And of departure gates etc. And the Eurostar (yes, I have a well- travelled baby!).

I've never had any comments whatsoever. At takeoff and landing, I put the safety strap around DD and that was it.

I resent comments like the 1st from the article you posted. 'I BFed my children, but I still don't want to see someone boob and a baby sucking, it's private etc etc etc.'
It's not private, it's food. What are you expected to do, not travel? Or let your baby go hungry?
You're not nursing for show on an airplane, you're nursing because it's feed time. Not to mention there's nothing to see, even if you're sitting next to a BFing mother- unless of course you're staring!