Comments on: Cover up! Airline breastfeeding policies… http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/08/25/cover-up-airline-breastfeeding-policies/ ...exploring the art and science of parenting Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:24:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: militarymom http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/08/25/cover-up-airline-breastfeeding-policies/#comment-116647 militarymom Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:09:31 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-116647 PhD, Thank you for this website! I was going to ask you to add Southwest Airlines but I just got off the phone with them. They don't have a policy but what the lady on the phone told me, "you have a baby ma'am, do what you gotta do!" She also mentioned being tactful about it but I didn't take that to strictly mean covering up. I'm personally not comfortable with doing it in public without covering up but i really don't want to be that way. I want to get over it and like you said, spread the word that breasfeeding your child is a good thing. We talk at my LLL meetings all the time about how breadfeeding in public shows, to young women and new moms, that it's ok for them to do it too. One friend said when she flew once, she had all the policies for each state they flew over/in and was ready to let them know it was either screaming baby or a breadfed one. Most, I would imagine, would choose breasfeeding! My son does not nurse perfectly for public situations and certainly does not like being covered up either. We're flying for the first time next week, so we'll see how it goes! Here are the breastfeeding laws for Virginia if anyone is flying through/to/from there (I believe both DC airports are physically located in VA): http://www.vabreastfeeding.org/laws.htm PhD,
Thank you for this website! I was going to ask you to add Southwest Airlines but I just got off the phone with them. They don’t have a policy but what the lady on the phone told me, “you have a baby ma’am, do what you gotta do!” She also mentioned being tactful about it but I didn’t take that to strictly mean covering up. I’m personally not comfortable with doing it in public without covering up but i really don’t want to be that way. I want to get over it and like you said, spread the word that breasfeeding your child is a good thing. We talk at my LLL meetings all the time about how breadfeeding in public shows, to young women and new moms, that it’s ok for them to do it too. One friend said when she flew once, she had all the policies for each state they flew over/in and was ready to let them know it was either screaming baby or a breadfed one. Most, I would imagine, would choose breasfeeding! My son does not nurse perfectly for public situations and certainly does not like being covered up either. We’re flying for the first time next week, so we’ll see how it goes!

Here are the breastfeeding laws for Virginia if anyone is flying through/to/from there (I believe both DC airports are physically located in VA): http://www.vabreastfeeding.org/laws.htm

]]> By: Rachel http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/08/25/cover-up-airline-breastfeeding-policies/#comment-105271 Rachel Sun, 23 Jan 2011 19:37:43 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-105271 So very annoyed - lat week a flight attendant on Continental brought me a blanket while I was bf-ing. I said thank you very much but that I was fine, and she told me I should cover up as it was inappropriate. I had a nursing top on so it wasn't even like my whole breast was hanging out or my stomach was showing. I noted to her that, in fact, in Canada it has been recognized as a right in some legislation, and she said they were an american airline and that I should cover up as someone had complained. I continued to nurse Charlotte, who would never nurse under a blanket btw, but did make sure my shirt opening was as minimal as possible. I am very happy to have found this info as I will use it to choose airlines in the future - regardless of whether I am flying with a child who requires nursing. I am also writing letters to Continental and transportation authorities. So very annoyed – lat week a flight attendant on Continental brought me a blanket while I was bf-ing. I said thank you very much but that I was fine, and she told me I should cover up as it was inappropriate. I had a nursing top on so it wasn’t even like my whole breast was hanging out or my stomach was showing. I noted to her that, in fact, in Canada it has been recognized as a right in some legislation, and she said they were an american airline and that I should cover up as someone had complained. I continued to nurse Charlotte, who would never nurse under a blanket btw, but did make sure my shirt opening was as minimal as possible. I am very happy to have found this info as I will use it to choose airlines in the future – regardless of whether I am flying with a child who requires nursing. I am also writing letters to Continental and transportation authorities.

]]> By: Mothers shouldn’t have opinions | PhD in Parenting http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/08/25/cover-up-airline-breastfeeding-policies/#comment-60500 Mothers shouldn’t have opinions | PhD in Parenting Thu, 20 May 2010 22:07:08 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-60500 [...] blogging has nothing to do with making the world a better place or volunteerism. And then there was Maggie, who thought I should be trying to solve the homelessness problem: I’ve been around long enough to understand that breast-feeding can be done without flashing your [...] [...] blogging has nothing to do with making the world a better place or volunteerism. And then there was Maggie, who thought I should be trying to solve the homelessness problem: I’ve been around long enough to understand that breast-feeding can be done without flashing your [...]

]]> By: Lactivism and the homelessness problem | PhD in Parenting http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/08/25/cover-up-airline-breastfeeding-policies/#comment-58178 Lactivism and the homelessness problem | PhD in Parenting Sun, 09 May 2010 21:21:35 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-58178 [...] turning out to be a good week. First, I was called pushy for having a birth plan. And then today, a commenter on my blog told me to “grow up and quit making such a big deal out of nothing” when referring to [...] [...] turning out to be a good week. First, I was called pushy for having a birth plan. And then today, a commenter on my blog told me to “grow up and quit making such a big deal out of nothing” when referring to [...]

]]> By: Stefi Grace http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/08/25/cover-up-airline-breastfeeding-policies/#comment-28794 Stefi Grace Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:32:20 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-28794 Just for your information on Asian airlines, I breastfed my 1 year old daughter on Air Asia (a Malaysian-based airline) from Jakarta to Singapore and back again without any problems. I also flew domestically (I'm Indonesian) using Mandala and Garuda Airlines (Indonesian airline) while breastfeeding her with no problem. I covered a bit with a pashmina though (but not over my baby) and I had a window seat as I'm shy. Overall I think Indonesians are ok with public breastfeeding, I've even seen a woman breastfeeding her baby on a crowded bus. Some poeple might stare at first out of curiosity but then look away and not think anymore about it. Just for your information on Asian airlines, I breastfed my 1 year old daughter on Air Asia (a Malaysian-based airline) from Jakarta to Singapore and back again without any problems. I also flew domestically (I’m Indonesian) using Mandala and Garuda Airlines (Indonesian airline) while breastfeeding her with no problem. I covered a bit with a pashmina though (but not over my baby) and I had a window seat as I’m shy. Overall I think Indonesians are ok with public breastfeeding, I’ve even seen a woman breastfeeding her baby on a crowded bus. Some poeple might stare at first out of curiosity but then look away and not think anymore about it.

]]> By: Breast-feeding mother smothers and kills baby on jet - WTF?! http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/08/25/cover-up-airline-breastfeeding-policies/#comment-28662 Breast-feeding mother smothers and kills baby on jet - WTF?! Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:34:49 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-28662 [...] [...] [...] [...]

]]> By: phdinparenting http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/08/25/cover-up-airline-breastfeeding-policies/#comment-7246 phdinparenting Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:07:10 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-7246 @Carina: This post was one of a whole series of posts that I did on nursing on an airplane. Here is a link to the index of the collection: http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/09/13/breastfeeding-on-an-airplane-the-collection/ One of the posts is on breastfeeding during take-off and landing and addresses the issue you raised: http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/08/breastfeeding-during-take-off-and-landing/ (editing to fix link) @Carina: This post was one of a whole series of posts that I did on nursing on an airplane. Here is a link to the index of the collection: http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/09/13/breastfeeding-on-an-airplane-the-collection/

One of the posts is on breastfeeding during take-off and landing and addresses the issue you raised: http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/08/breastfeeding-during-take-off-and-landing/

(editing to fix link)

]]> By: Carina http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/08/25/cover-up-airline-breastfeeding-policies/#comment-7236 Carina Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:05:57 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-7236 I have nursed many times on Delta, Southwest, Jet Blue, and Frontier, both babies and toddlers. The ONLY problem I ever had was a single leg on Frontier when a FA told me it was against policy to allow the baby (16 months) to nurse on take off, that I would need to hold him upright. Thank goodness it was early in the day and he was in a happy mood, content with crackers and grapes. I did tell the FA that I was an experienced traveler with extensive nursing time logged and that I'd never heard such a rule (and haven't ever since, either.) "Well, that's the policy," she said. I complied. But I didn't like it. I have nursed many times on Delta, Southwest, Jet Blue, and Frontier, both babies and toddlers.

The ONLY problem I ever had was a single leg on Frontier when a FA told me it was against policy to allow the baby (16 months) to nurse on take off, that I would need to hold him upright. Thank goodness it was early in the day and he was in a happy mood, content with crackers and grapes.

I did tell the FA that I was an experienced traveler with extensive nursing time logged and that I’d never heard such a rule (and haven’t ever since, either.)
“Well, that’s the policy,” she said.
I complied.
But I didn’t like it.

]]> By: Judy @ Mommy News Blog http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/08/25/cover-up-airline-breastfeeding-policies/#comment-2950 Judy @ Mommy News Blog Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:18:59 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-2950 Thanks for the wonderful info Annie! I traveled with my son quite a bit when he was an infant and we ALWAYS breastfed on planes - he usually nursed on the way up and then slept through most of the flight and nursed again on the way down. I never received any negative comments, nor was I ever asked to cover up. Most people commented on what a good baby I had and I don't think most of them even realized I was breastfeeding. I always wore nursing tops to hide my belly - but nothing to hide the fact that I was breastfeeding. I mostly flew US Air during these trips. Thanks again for all of the great info. Thanks for the wonderful info Annie! I traveled with my son quite a bit when he was an infant and we ALWAYS breastfed on planes – he usually nursed on the way up and then slept through most of the flight and nursed again on the way down. I never received any negative comments, nor was I ever asked to cover up. Most people commented on what a good baby I had and I don’t think most of them even realized I was breastfeeding. I always wore nursing tops to hide my belly – but nothing to hide the fact that I was breastfeeding. I mostly flew US Air during these trips.

Thanks again for all of the great info.

]]> By: Amy http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/08/25/cover-up-airline-breastfeeding-policies/#comment-2918 Amy Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:03:06 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=312#comment-2918 Flying with my oldest around 9 years ago I had a flight attendant actually say, "Hey- someone give that baby the boob!" when he was fussing during take off. Wish I could remember which airline it was! Flying with my oldest around 9 years ago I had a flight attendant actually say, “Hey- someone give that baby the boob!” when he was fussing during take off. Wish I could remember which airline it was!

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