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Put those breasts away: Woman asked to cover up while breastfeeding during flight
Successfully hydrating on airplanes has recently become difficult; as an adult you can no longer bring beverages aboard. And apparently even babies have the same problem, or at least it seems so after an incident concerning a mother breast-feeding her child last week on WestJet.The Vancouver woman says that she was asked to cover up while breast-feeding during a recent flight, and that the incident has led her to consider filing a human rights complaint. After "discreetly" lifting her shirt to breastfeed her son, a flight attendant offered the woman a blanket to cover up. She declined twice, but the flight attendant insisted
"She said that some men find the sight of a bare breast quite offensive," said Ms. Tarbuck. According to the report, she wasn't even bothering the people around her; the only other people in the row were her husband and two children.
Despite what your beliefs are on breastfeeding, let me just put it this way: traveling with children is difficult, maybe we should cut these mothers some slack. Do you really want to be enduring the sounds of a hungry, crying baby during the duration of your flight???
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Filed under: North America, Canada, Airlines, News, Consumer Activism
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 45)
chickadee Aug 12th 2008 12:05AM
Hey, Pam! Excellent point! The next pregnant cat I foster will either have to cover herself up, or bottle feed those little buggers! I'll bet if I look hard enough, I can find an 8 cup nursing bra. I'm guessing the lack of opposable thumbs might make some tasks rather difficult, but not impossible for her. What I'm getting at here is, cats and dogs can't cover themselves up. They lack the ability to reason. Animals procreate in public, most humans do not. What a stupid comparison you've made. It's something that should be kept as personal and private as possible.
nursing mom Aug 11th 2008 6:03PM
WHY SHOULD SHE COVER UP.....it is nobody's business what she is doing. Most babies dont like a blanket over their head..Maybe the idiots who have a problem w/ it should put a blanket over their head so they wont' have to see it. People need to lighten up and get over it....it is only a boob...
Catman Aug 11th 2008 2:13PM
Some of these people need to get a life. For Christ sakes....don't look if you are offended. It's not like she's standing up and whipping them out and shouting "hey look at these!"
Cupcakeaddict Aug 11th 2008 3:12PM
And if she was whipping them out saying "Hey look at these", that would be considered acceptable. Some wh*re can flash 'em any where and then you can buy the GGW DVD. But, breastfeed a baby in public...oh hell no, that is offensive! People need to grow up, breasts were intended for nursing. Get over it. I hope she does file a human rights complain.
Recently, we had an incident where I live...a lady was breastfeeding in McDonalds and she was asked to leave. She refused, and said she'd call the cops. Well, when the employees started making a bigger deal of her leaving, she called the police. When the police arrived, she was told if she did not leave then she'd be arrested for trespassing! WTH.
Babies have the same right to eat in public as anyone else, if you don't believe that then I suggest that you start covering your face or go into the nasty bathroom to eat your meals from now on.
Tadhg Aug 11th 2008 7:10PM
That is exactly what some women do... Breastfeeding in public may be a necessity, but some women have no class while doing it. Some women expose thier breast more than needed for feeding. The attitude that "It's my right because I have a kid" seems to lead some women to a nearly a point of exhibitionism. Men are NOT the only ones who get offended by breastfeeding. In my experience, OTHER WOMEN complain more, and more loudly about mothers who breastfeed in public.
volleyballer Aug 11th 2008 2:16PM
what does the airline expect your baby to starve what if the flight was over night?? a baby feeds at least every two to four hours. that is wrong and rude i would tell the attendent that i was offended by her and those two men.That is against the law of human rights. idiots
Diane Aug 11th 2008 3:07PM
Apparently, you're missing the point...the blanket!!!
kaitlin Aug 11th 2008 3:20PM
Exposing your breasts is not a human right. Yes you should be allowed to breast feed in public. But the mother should be descrete about it.
K Aug 11th 2008 5:34PM
I agree. and the idiots complaining would also be the first ones to complain if the baby were crying because it was hungry.
chickadee Aug 12th 2008 12:05AM
No sweetie, they just expect you to have some class. I always considered it a private moment with me and my child. I wasn't one that could sit in the middle of the mall and nurse. I kept it private. I never nursed in a public place, in front of family, with the exception of my husband, friends or anyone. It was something very personal and private. I didn't need or want a cheering section, thank you very much. I never considered it my "human right", just the priviledge of motherhood.
liza Aug 11th 2008 2:14PM
I'm currently pregnant and expecting my first child this coming January. Although I will definitely be breastfeeding my child, I will definitely not make it displayed to the public! I see no wrong done by the flight attendant requesting the woman cover herself up. Since when is it ok to be partially nude in public? She didn't tell her to go to the bathroom, she just politely asked to conceal. The baby isn't eating off a plate, it's eating off of a BOOB which, when it comes down to it, is a private part. It's amazing how quick people are to suing, it's just a stupid excuse. This is just as bad as those two obnoxious teenage girls who sued because they thought they were kicked off the plane because they were too "beautiful" (yeah, right) when in fact that were being rude and disruptive.
DIANA Aug 12th 2008 2:45AM
YOU SAID IT EXACTLY....YOU ARE EXPECTING YOUR FIRST CHILD. YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHAT LIES AHEAD. YOU TALK NOW BUT WATCH LATER. BABIES CAN SENSE TENSION DURING NURSING & SOMETIMES WILL NOT EAT. SAME GOES FOR PUTTING SOMETHING OVER THEIR HEAD. HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO EAT W/ SOMETHING OVER YOUR FACE & NOSE? CAN YOU BREATHE RIGHT? AND WHAT ABOUT TEMPERATURE? SOME BABIES SIMPLY JUST DON'T LIKE IT, PERIOD. AS A MOM YOU DO WHATEVER MAKES YOUR BABY HAPPY. AND....LOL...GOOD GOD....DID YOU SAY PARTIALLY NUDE? YOU ARE TOO FUNNY BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE HALF NAKED WOMEN ON THE BEACH THAN A NURSING MOTHER. IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO SHOW CLEAVAGE AS LONG AS THE NIPPLE ISN'T SHOWING. AND IT'S NOT SHOWING WHILE THE BABY NURSES. AS LONG AS SHE HAS A SHIRT ON IT'S DECENT. IT'S OK TO SEE NUDE PETA POSTERS EVERYWHERE BUT NOT A CLEAVAGE WHILE NURSING A BABY? I COULD DEBATE ALL DAY ON THIS SUBJECT....LOL. PLEASE....GROW UP! POINT MADE. GOOD LUCK W/ YOUR LITTLE ONE! I HOPE SHE/HE ARE HEALTHY & HAPPY. MOTHER OF 3 BREASTFED BABIES SIGNS OFF....
Joan Schipp Aug 11th 2008 2:33PM
What ever happened to good manners! I personally would not want the whole plane to see my exposed breast. There is a way to be discreat. If she was planning to feed her child. She should have asked for a window sear and angled her body so that she would not be on display. Forget your precious rights and consider others .
pnwmom Aug 11th 2008 4:07PM
Joan - go back and read the article - she said she was nursing discreetly and was seated next to her family. There was no flaunting or exposure. And what about her baby's rights? You seem to be leaving that out. What if the baby doesn't take a bottle? Are you willing to deal with a screaming baby the whole flight?
Rotorheadoo Aug 11th 2008 2:16PM
those men who found breastfeeding offensive were just jealous that they didn't have the breast in their mouths....or they were gay....
RJ Aug 11th 2008 2:16PM
Out of respect for everyone, men and women alike, the mother should have graciously taken the blanket and cover herself. I have seen this while shopping in malls and also riding Amtrak and there is nothing wrong with breast feeding as long as it if done with respect.
KARIN Aug 11th 2008 2:18PM
Yes, we all know that breastfeeding is natural. So is pooping and peeing, but I don't expect to leave the lavatory door open either.
pnwmom Aug 11th 2008 4:35PM
When was the last time you ate your meal in the restroom stall? How rude to equate baby's eating with defecating.
KARIN Aug 11th 2008 2:38PM
pnwmom, I'm just so tired of people using the justification of breastfeeding being natural to do it in public. If you really want to get technical about it, we are naturally supposed to be completely naked, so maybe we shouldn't wear any clothes at all. And you saying that baby's won't breastfeed if they're covered is simply ridiculous. Nobody said you have to cover up the baby completely. There is nothing wrong with simply blocking the view. If we can expose during breastfeeding, then why not expose during any other time. It is natural, right?
kh Aug 11th 2008 3:08PM
I tried not to breast feed in public ever, but a couple of times my baby was hungry and I chose to feed her in my car...out of respect for others and myself. However...it doesn't bother me to see someone breastfeeding in public. Some babies eat ever hour...try getting grocery shopping done when you have a 3 week old who wants to nurse every hour...it is impossible. I think that people need to be a little more understanding to how demanding breastfeeding is. On a side note...my daughter would not nurse with a blanket over her head...if she got to warm and comfortable she would just fall asleep. So sometimes I would have to strip her down to her diaper so that she would eat. It is much harder to just cover up than one might think.