My Sept. 19 post Breasts on a Plane hit a nerve with traveling moms and has received 24 comments ... so far. My Back Page column this week addresses this issue further and looks into mother’s breastfeeding rights when flying.
Traveling with small children can be challenging under the best of circumstances—airline delays, bad weather, long stretches on the road—and finding a discrete place to breastfeed or pump can make a long day feel even longer.
But never fear, there are ways (and places) to feed and pump in comfort while you’re in transit. Debbie Dubrow of Delicious Baby says creativity is key when looking for a quiet place to nurse. Dubrow recommends:
looking for a family restroom, many of which now have chairs or nursing gliders for breastfeeding moms;
when you’re in an airport, look for a quiet corner in an unused gate area;
or buy a day pass to airline lounges, which have plenty of private corners in which to settle;
if traveling by car, many of the same rules apply. Of course, you can nurse or pump in your car, but that can be uncomfortable. Road stops and restaurants sometimes also have family bathrooms, and when all else fails, you can cover up with a blanket.
If your baby doesn’t enjoy nursing while covered (and tell me, would YOU like to eat your lunch with a blanket on your face?), there are products available specifically to make nursing more discrete, such as the Bebe au Lait nursing cover.
Remember, where ever you choose to feed your baby, you have the right to do so. All 50 states have laws that protect nursing moms.
