breastfeeding on airplanes

"VV's mom" wrote in message
om...
I'm going on a trip which involves flying time of 18 hrs. I want to
breastfeed my 6-month old on the flight. I was wondering how to to
breastfeed discreetly on an airplane. Any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks

First off, you don't need to be that discreet...the people on the plane
would be much happier to catch a glimpse of you nursing rather than sit near
a screaming baby.

Secondly, if you're really concerned, you can drape a light blanket over
yourself and/or over the baby. I'm sure you're used to nursing in public if
you've been at it for 6 months...not sure why an airplane would be any
different.

Have a safe trip!

- Jen

"VV's mom" wrote in message
om...
I'm going on a trip which involves flying time of 18 hrs. I want to
breastfeed my 6-month old on the flight. I was wondering how to to
breastfeed discreetly on an airplane. Any ideas would be welcome.

Those in front of you won't look back to see you. Those behind you can't
see over the seat. The guy next to you might and maybe the steward. Ask
for a window seat. It's very private. You can cover up with a blanket, if
you like.

I'm going on a trip which involves flying time of 18 hrs. I want to
breastfeed my 6-month old on the flight. I was wondering how to to
breastfeed discreetly on an airplane. Any ideas would be welcome.

Pretty much the same way you bf discreetly anywhere else.
Wear clothes that you can nurse comfortably in. (Two piece outfit that you can
lift from the waist.)
You don't say if you are flying alone or with another person. (Besides the
baby.) If you have a companion, be sure that he/she is sitting between you and
any strangers. (Or, if baby has a seat, that seat would be between you and the
strangers.) A window seat will give more privacy, but an aisle seat may provide
a little more elbow room. (esp. if there isn't a spare seat.) Oh yeah, and
raise the arm rest between you and your companion/baby's seat.

I only flew once with Shaina when she was nursing, and it was shorter flight
(around 3 hours each way), but we had no difficulties. (She was also around 6
months old at the time.)

BTW, if you CAN get a seat for baby, I'd definitely recommend doing so. Holding
a baby for 18 hours will be pretty wearing on all of you...

I really wouldn't worry about this too much. Few people will even be aware that
you are nursing. (The way planes are configured, they can't even see you). And
they will be delighted that your baby ISN"T crying and fussing!

Naomi

Are you going by yourself, or with someone. DD was 8 months old when I flew
for the first time, and she was too big to fit in just my chair, he legs
rested on DH while I nursed her. Other than that problem, nurse as you
would in public (my T-shirt + DD's head normally covers most of my breast).
Definitely get either a window or middle seat, you don't want to have to
keep adjusting the baby when the stewardess/and other passengers are walking
up and down the aisles.


--
Michelle P
Ava Marie July 14, 2002
"VV's mom" wrote in message
om...
I'm going on a trip which involves flying time of 18 hrs. I want to
breastfeed my 6-month old on the flight. I was wondering how to to
breastfeed discreetly on an airplane. Any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks

In my experience, draping a blanket over you sometimes brings more attention
than if you were to just put baby under your shirt. When you do this it
just looks like your holding baby low.

Have a good trip.

Leann

"New York Jen" wrote in message
. net...


"VV's mom" wrote in message
om...
I'm going on a trip which involves flying time of 18 hrs. I want to
breastfeed my 6-month old on the flight. I was wondering how to to
breastfeed discreetly on an airplane. Any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks

First off, you don't need to be that discreet...the people on the plane
would be much happier to catch a glimpse of you nursing rather than sit
near
a screaming baby.

Secondly, if you're really concerned, you can drape a light blanket over
yourself and/or over the baby. I'm sure you're used to nursing in public
if
you've been at it for 6 months...not sure why an airplane would be any
different.

Have a safe trip!

- Jen

"Leann and Donald" wrote in message
...
In my experience, draping a blanket over you sometimes brings more
attention
than if you were to just put baby under your shirt. When you do this it
just looks like your holding baby low.

People drape blankets over babies all the time, even when they are in
carseats or strollers, so I don't see why it would look strange to see a
blanket draped over a baby in mother's arms. Wouldn't catch my attention at
all, especially since I see women around here who aren't BF'ing who have
their babies in arms with blanket draped.

VV's mom wrote:

I'm going on a trip which involves flying time of 18 hrs. I want to
breastfeed my 6-month old on the flight. I was wondering how to to
breastfeed discreetly on an airplane. Any ideas would be welcome.

I'm not one for nursing discreetly (hehe), but I have nursed on a plane
*a lot*. :-) All the suggestions are great...but no one really sees
you. Honestly. Mainly cause have you noticed that if you look around
on a plane, it's really obvious that you're looking around? So people
normally don't. I've nursed in the bulkhead seats, with plenty of
people walking by, no one cared :-). But that's not what you asked.

If you want to drape a blanket, sure, go for it. Bring one of your own
for that tho, since the blankets on planes are heavy and hard to move
around and deal with. Wear loose clothes. If you're going with
someone, or even if you're not, make sure the flight attendants know
that if they serve when you're nursing, they'll need to come back to
you...

And I second the "baby's own seat" idea. Any flight we take over 2
hours, P gets his own seat. There's no way that I would hold him for
more than that and stay sane in that little flying cigar tube. :-)
--
'Tis Herself

New York Jen wrote:
"VV's mom" wrote in message
om...

I'm going on a trip which involves flying time of 18 hrs. I want to
breastfeed my 6-month old on the flight. I was wondering how to to
breastfeed discreetly on an airplane. Any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks


First off, you don't need to be that discreet...the people on the plane
would be much happier to catch a glimpse of you nursing rather than sit near
a screaming baby.

Secondly, if you're really concerned, you can drape a light blanket over
yourself and/or over the baby. I'm sure you're used to nursing in public if
you've been at it for 6 months...not sure why an airplane would be any
different.

Have a safe trip!

- Jen

It's different because depending on where you are sitting, it can be
tricky to latch on if the child's legs are in the lap of the person next
to you, or if you happen to have an aisle seat and need to nurse from
the aisle side breast, or if there is someone sitting inches away from
where you need to latch on.

I certainly found nursing my toddler on a plane more uncomfortable than
anywhere else I have nursed, but as you say, by the time you've got a
bigger baby or child you are used to just getting on with it.

Mary Ann

My sister in law uses the african wrap, I use the maya wrap, the baby
will be cozy and is discreet
olga

DD is nearly six months old and we've already flown on three different trips
(seven flights altogether) and we're doing it again next weekend. (Our
families live all over and we just really needed a real vacation this year
too.) No one will notice that you're nursing other than the flight
attendants, who usually brought me extra water (unasked) and were generally
helpful. Although our longest flight was 5.5 hours, DH and I found that by
trading off on a schedule (45 minutes with baby and 45 minutes without) the
flight wasn't that difficult and DD had a constant fun companion. I'm about
to fly alone with DD (two weeks next Wednesday) and I think that will be
more difficult, so I'm hoping to get bulkhead so she can play a bit on the
floor without me holding her.

Regarding bf'ing, if you're sitting beside someone you know, put up the
armrest between you to give yourself a bit of extra room. Also, hog the
pillows and use them to cover your seatbelt, which seems to get in the way
and hurt DD's tummy.

Finally, remember to bf on the way up and down to keep your child's ears
from hurting. It works like a charm and will have everyone near you loving
your child because he/she didn't scream at the beginning of the flight.

--
Melissa (in Los Angeles)
Mum to Elizabeth 4/13/03

"VV's mom" wrote in message
om...
I'm going on a trip which involves flying time of 18 hrs. I want to
breastfeed my 6-month old on the flight. I was wondering how to to
breastfeed discreetly on an airplane. Any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks