American Airlines requires nursing mothers to cover

[redheadbaker]

Please see the thread on Money Matters Moms, and AA's Facebook page.

I'm mobile and miss my physical keyboard!

[Velar Fricative]

Not too many articles on Google News so far, but here's one link:

www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1008845/american-airlines-breastfeeding-policy-called-into-question

[Deleted]

Can they force a mom to cover up?

[IIOY]

$5 says they "clarify" their policy soon.

[Deleted]

The one time in my life I NIPed was on an American Flight. We were flying home for the inlaws with DD and I left my cover at their house. I asked the flight attendant for a blanket and they didn't have any. I was mortified, but I'm a prude lol.

[wawa]

Aug 6, 2013 8:33:01 GMT -5 @mrsbecky07 said:

Can they force a mom to cover up?

How would that work?  Say she refuses.  What's the only thing they can do...divert the flight and land to have her removed, right?  But if they land in a state where breastfeeding is legally protected how do they have a leg to stand on?

[Deleted]

Aug 6, 2013 8:50:42 GMT -5 wawa said:

Aug 6, 2013 8:33:01 GMT -5 @mrsbecky07 said:

Can they force a mom to cover up?

How would that work?  Say she refuses.  What's the only thing they can do...divert the flight and land to have her removed, right?  But if they land in a state where breastfeeding is legally protected how do they have a leg to stand on?

Exactly.  I mean, the other option is for the FA to forcibly drape a blanket over the mom, but could you imagine the shitstorm that would erupt if that happened? (I admit I'm kind of giggling at the image in my head now though.) 

[redheadbaker]

Aug 6, 2013 8:35:55 GMT -5 IIOY said:

$5 says they "clarify" their policy soon.

Someone on MMM said they did on their Facebook page, basically backing up their policy that requires a cover, though I couldn't find it.

I'm mobile and miss my physical keyboard!

[cookiemdough]

There is a link to another story about a mom not being allowed to pump on a plane. I would be mortified if I had to pump on the plane with someone next to me. Ugh. Nursing without a cover however wouldn't bother me. I generally wear shirts that I know will facilitate discretion so I am not worried about exposing much.

[ringstrue]

I went to their FB page and it only shows their highlights and you have to click the Highlights dropdown and choose "Posts by Others" to see people's posts.

[laladypoet]

[wawa]

Aug 6, 2013 9:07:59 GMT -5 @dontcallmeshirley1 said:

Can they actually, legally, require moms to do this?

Breastfeeding protections are state by state and vary from 100% you can't fuck with a BFing mom to no protections at all.

How does this work for planes in general?  Are they governed by the laws of the state where they took off?  Where they're landing?  Or neither?

[JayhawkGirl]

Aug 6, 2013 9:11:04 GMT -5 wawa said:

Aug 6, 2013 9:07:59 GMT -5 @dontcallmeshirley1 said:

Can they actually, legally, require moms to do this?

Breastfeeding protections are state by state and vary from 100% you can't fuck with a BFing mom to no protections at all.

How does this work for planes in general?  Are they governed by the laws of the state where they took off?  Where they're landing?  Or neither?

I think it's based on the airspace they're currently in. My mom tells stories of planes having to stop liquor service while flying over KS when we had more archaic liquor laws.

[JayhawkGirl]

Oh, and nurse away moms! What a ridiculous move and PR fail.

[redheadbaker]

Aug 6, 2013 9:56:15 GMT -5 JayhawkGirl said:

Aug 6, 2013 9:11:04 GMT -5 wawa said:

Breastfeeding protections are state by state and vary from 100% you can't fuck with a BFing mom to no protections at all.

How does this work for planes in general?  Are they governed by the laws of the state where they took off?  Where they're landing?  Or neither?

I think it's based on the airspace they're currently in. My mom tells stories of planes having to stop liquor service while flying over KS when we had more archaic liquor laws.

I was told on MMM that a lawsuit found that the laws of the state where the flight originated apply.

ETA a lawsuit not related to this incident.

I'm mobile and miss my physical keyboard!

[meshaliuknits]

I imagine they'd really object to BabyLiu "helping" me nurse the baby.

I think I'd cry if I had to pump on a plane.

[wawa]

Aug 6, 2013 10:14:56 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

I imagine they'd really object to BabyLiu "helping" me nurse the baby.

I think I'd cry if I had to pump on a plane.

remember that wedding I was attending where I asked all kinds of being away from baby and please dress me questions?

My BFF and fellow bridesmaid is also a recent mom and was flying cross country for it.  She pumped on the plane AND had to pump in the taxi when stuff in traffic on her way from the airport to the rehearsal dinner.  She was texting me asking what I thought she should do (she was full and leaking) and I said to just do it.  NYC taxi drivers have seen WAY more stuff than that.

GOOD TIMES PUDDIN'!

Oh...also the TSA agents made her taste her milk on her way back.  because apparently they don't know their own damn regs.

[meshaliuknits]

Aug 6, 2013 10:33:48 GMT -5 wawa said:

Aug 6, 2013 10:14:56 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

I imagine they'd really object to BabyLiu "helping" me nurse the baby.

I think I'd cry if I had to pump on a plane.

remember that wedding I was attending where I asked all kinds of being away from baby and please dress me questions?

My BFF and fellow bridesmaid is also a recent mom and was flying cross country for it.  She pumped on the plane AND had to pump in the taxi when stuff in traffic on her way from the airport to the rehearsal dinner.  She was texting me asking what I thought she should do (she was full and leaking) and I said to just do it.  NYC taxi drivers have seen WAY more stuff than that.

GOOD TIMES PUDDIN'!

Oh...also the TSA agents made her taste her milk on her way back.  because apparently they don't know their own damn regs.

That sucks. The TSA not knowing their own regs surprises me not, though. 

[msmerymac]

Too bad asdfjkl is busy moving. I'd like to see her in this thread. I know she has a vendetta against Staples because of their policy towards employees who pump. I feel like she already hates American Airlines because of their stroller policy.

[overture]

Rage.

[cookiemdough]

Aug 6, 2013 11:31:35 GMT -5 tillie said:

I really don't see anything wrong with this. Go ahead and NIP, just cover up a bit.

lol, 10 pager coming right up.  

[statlerwaldorf]

Aug 6, 2013 11:31:35 GMT -5 tillie said:

I really don't see anything wrong with this. Go ahead and NIP, just cover up a bit.

My DD went through a phase where she would not nurse under a cover.

[penguingrrl]

Feeding a baby is bad. Everyone knows breasts only exist for sexual purposes. While I do use a nursing cover, Drew plays with it so much I sometimes wonder why I bother. He's constantly lifting it and moving it and uncovering his head and playing peek a boo with it. Emma did the same. In many ways it feels useless to bother.

[wawa]

Aug 6, 2013 11:31:35 GMT -5 tillie said:

I really don't see anything wrong with this. Go ahead and NIP, just cover up a bit.

Of COURSE you don't.  

But but...if she draped a beach towel over herself, wouldn't that be trashy??

[ttt]

I'd like to see a survey of people on the plane: would you rather the possibility of people around me seeing some breast, or would you rather my baby scream at the top of her lungs for the next 3 hours?

[emilyj]

Aug 6, 2013 11:31:35 GMT -5 tillie said:

I really don't see anything wrong with this. Go ahead and NIP, just cover up a bit.

Most women that NIP keep themselves covered appropriately by virtue of their clothes, with no cover.  

I have never seen any more boob on a NIP mother than I have on my students when they go out to the bars on weekends.  

[wawa]

Aug 6, 2013 11:45:29 GMT -5 tillie said:

Aug 6, 2013 11:40:28 GMT -5 statlerwaldorf said:

My DD went through a phase where she would not nurse under a cover.

I don't want to start a 10 pager, I just don't see the big deal. I'm not going to reply to the wrath, just being honest.

Ok...i HATE this normally - but seriously tillie - do you have kids?  Have you ever breastfed?  Because in all honesty, sometimes you just can't use a cover.  So for many people the choices are not cover or not cover - it's fussy hungry baby or possible flash of exposed boob.  I just took that on faith until I had a kid - and now that I have a funny little child who does this weird windmill arm thing whenever I let down I actually get it.  

I can see this seeming like not a big deal, (dude, just use a cover!) until you realize that it's really not that simple with some kids.  

[maddysmum]

Aug 6, 2013 11:45:29 GMT -5 tillie said:

Aug 6, 2013 11:40:28 GMT -5 statlerwaldorf said:

My DD went through a phase where she would not nurse under a cover.

I don't want to start a 10 pager, I just don't see the big deal. I'm not going to reply to the wrath, just being honest.

Okay, I'll give you an honest response, then.

Some babies won't tolerate a cover. Some mums find it very hard to maneuver a cover and manage breastfeeding. Both of those are not uncommon and frankly, make the whole thing a much, much bigger production than just feeding the baby. Practically speaking, the battle to use one and ensuing shrieking from a baby wanting to be fed is pretty much guaranteed to annoy more people on an airplane than the one or two at risk of getting a glimpse of boob.

On a bigger, less individual scale, a cover ideally should be for the comfort and ease of the nursing mum and not for the protection of the innocent eyes of those around her desperate avoid a glimpse of side boob. A woman shouldn't NEED a cover to nurse in public because, well, it's just not that big a deal.

And to institute policy requiring that makes breastfeeding on an airplane impossible for some mums, which, ultimately, is going to make everyone suffer and not just the very few in boob-sight-line.

So, "just cover up" is, unfortunately, not a logical or practical universal solution.

[msmerymac]

Aug 6, 2013 11:44:25 GMT -5 wawa said:

Aug 6, 2013 11:31:35 GMT -5 tillie said:

I really don't see anything wrong with this. Go ahead and NIP, just cover up a bit.

Of COURSE you don't.  

But but...if she draped a beach towel over herself, wouldn't that be trashy??

Only if it's against her HOA rules!

[Velar Fricative]

Every woman I've seen NIP *is* discreet. I think it's people who've never observed a woman NIP who think it's all about breasts flying through the air. Well, perhaps part of the reason they've never seen a woman NIP is because women are generally very discreet about it.

And I guess if you're a large-breasted woman, you can't feed your kid. Too bad so sad.