Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Breastfeeding on planes

C & I will be traveling with S over the holidays, so this article (sent to me by Supadiscomama) is disturbing to me on many, many levels: Woman Kicked off plane for breastfeeding . I still have mixed emotions about nursing my own child for so long, but it is every woman's right to nurse her child for as long as she desires.

2 comments:

Dr. Peters said...

I think that this story reflects a prejudice against women who nurse older children. While people are uncomfortable with women nursing infants, and they might even complain, all of the stories I've read of women being kicked out for breastfeeding have involved children over a year old. But it is illegal in most states to kick her out of any public place for breastfeeding. I breastfed on a plane, and it went well, and baby was happy and quiet throughout the flight. I don't think that the people around me even realized what I was doing. But my baby was very small, and there's just no way to be discreet nursing a two-year-old. And people often think it's "gross" and will respond negatively to that. But, of course, they are wrong.

L said...

These stories always outrage me. I think Sarah is right that this is about the child being older, though. I have breastfed my two boys countless times on airplanes, from 6 days (my first trip with my youngest to my BIL's wedding) to almost 2 1/2 (last month). I'm sure it'll be all right for you, particularly because your baby is so young.

My secret -- buy a nursing top, it does help you to have hardly any skin showing. I'm a big fan of the Motherwear clothes (my sons were born 1 mile from the factory and outlet store and I have dozens of clothes from their seconds collection).