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I am a mom who breastfed all my children and I have a toddler, so it's not that long ago.
I want to give this mom the benefit of the doubt and think the worst sin here is a lack of planning, rather than a plan to use the most cumbersome method possible and make life difficult for everyone. With all the traveling parents who have commented here I don't believe I've seen one post where someone brought an electric pump with them and planned to use it in flight.
There could be many reasons she needed to pump rather than nurse her baby. Not wanting to wake her finally sleeping baby could be one, or maybe the baby wasn't even with her. She would still need to pump regularly in that case. If I HAD to take a 9 hour flight with my 4 month old breastfeeding infant I would take a manual pump with me. They are very inexpensive, a fraction of the size and so much easier to use discreetly than an electric pump. It wouldn't even occur to me to bring that big thing on my closet shelf with me. But also I wouldn't be flying with my infant. If someone wants to see me and the baby that badly, they can come to me.
I suspect the problem began with how she assumed she could change seats and proceeded with that attitude rather than just ask a flight attendant if there was anything they could do to help her. It is unlikely she was actually trying to save the milk since that requires refrigeration or freezing, so she probably just needed to relieve the engorgement.
Maybe she should have thought about pumping her breasts before she got on the plane? Maybe she should have brought her baby with her? Nacissistic women. Its all about me. No consideration for others.
She was on a transatlantic flight with her 4 month old. For whatever reason (that isn't our business frankly; maybe she produces more milk than her baby can drink and needs to pump the excess) she needed to pump on the flight. Waiting 9 hours to pump is impossible, her breasts would be painful and leaking. She is not narcissistic, but you sound really rude at best.
Quote:
Originally Posted by YorktownGal
All this means is a person is allowed to bring a breast pump on a plane. It does not mean the planes's electrical system will support it.
I can bring a cigar or cigarettes on a plane. However, I can not legally smoke on a plane.
How do you know that's all it means? Is that what it says? No, it is not specific. If a woman can bring a breast pump that needs to be plugged in on board with her but can't use it on board, what is the point? Why not tell her to tuck that kind away in her luggage going into the cargo area if she has it? Why not tell her that she can bring it but not use it? Why not warn her that the only pump she can use on the plane is a manual one? Planes have plugs, how are passengers supposed to know what works and what doesn't if not told in advance so they can prepare?
If the site goes out of its way to say that they are allowed, they should specify how and in what ways, because as it is in that sentence, it is not clear.
Since people missed my answer the first time, some babies are very bad at breastfeeding and need expressed breast milk (EBM) instead. I had one of those, and he would literally be dead if he had needed to survive solely on the food he got via nursing. He was severely underweight as it was, and I had to supplement with EBM and formula.
(Bold mine)
Your son wouldn't be dead, because, whether you want to admit it or not, or whether you want to use it or not, baby formula exists that you could have fed him.
While it may be optimal for babies to receive their mother's milk, it is still a choice to breast-feed, especially in a situation such as flying on an airplane where the comfort of other passengers comes before one mother and one child, when other options exist. If the mother is in discomfort if she does not breastfeed, it can't possibly be worse than flying with a painful earache or severe toothache or other conditions with which many people suffer. Aren't there manual or battery-operated pumps the mother could have bought to use in the bathroom?
It really annoys me when people play the "insert category here" card to explain away their reasons for why they deserve to move to first class for free.
How do you know that's all it means? Is that what it says? No, it is not specific. If a woman can bring a breast pump that needs to be plugged in on board with her but can't use it on board, what is the point? Why not tell her to tuck that kind away in her luggage going into the cargo area if she has it? Why not tell her that she can bring it but not use it? Why not warn her that the only pump she can use on the plane is a manual one? Planes have plugs, how are passengers supposed to know what works and what doesn't if not told in advance so they can prepare?
She could pump after she checks her luggage before boarding. She could pump after arrived to her destination before her luggage is available.
Why would anyone assume access to an electrical plug on their flight? Plane electrical plugs (with the exception of bathroom razors) are pretty recent.
She could have done research: For international flights, Delta has 110 volt power outlets in all BusinessElite seats in A330, 747-400, 757, 767-300ER, 767-400ER, and 777 aircraft, as well as in the first 10 rows of Economy Class on A330, 767-400ER and 777 aircraft and select 757 and 767-300ER aircraft.
Reader Question: Electrical Outlets on an Airplane
This is a reader question from Brianne:
Do you know if most airplanes have electrical outlets in their bathrooms? I have an electric pump and obviously would need an outlet in order to pump on the plane.
Bathroom electrical outlets, when available, are often marked as being only for use with razors. On some flights, there are also electrical outlets at every seat, and you can usually check the airline website to find out how your flight will be equipped.
Even on a plane equipped with electrical outlets, electrical equipment sometimes fails, and if you need to pump in flight (or at the airport restroom) the most reliable option is to bring along a battery adapter for your pump so that you can use it anywhere.
Why not warn her that the only pump she can use on the plane is a manual one? Planes have plugs, how are passengers supposed to know what works and what doesn't if not told in advance so they can prepare?
I’d argue that the onus is on the passenger to call the airline and check the TSA site. Also read the manual of the pump and know the power requirements.
It’s possible she hasn’t flown before but it is common knowledge that the plugs in the bathroom are for shavers - they don’t produce a lot of power.
She could pump after she checks her luggage before boarding. She could pump after arrived to her destination before her luggage is available.
Why would anyone assume access to an electrical plug on their flight? Plane electrical plugs (with the exception of bathroom razors) are pretty recent.
She could have done research: For international flights, Delta has 110 volt power outlets in all BusinessElite seats in A330, 747-400, 757, 767-300ER, 767-400ER, and 777 aircraft, as well as in the first 10 rows of Economy Class on A330, 767-400ER and 777 aircraft and select 757 and 767-300ER aircraft.
Reader Question: Electrical Outlets on an Airplane
This is a reader question from Brianne:
Do you know if most airplanes have electrical outlets in their bathrooms? I have an electric pump and obviously would need an outlet in order to pump on the plane.
Bathroom electrical outlets, when available, are often marked as being only for use with razors. On some flights, there are also electrical outlets at every seat, and you can usually check the airline website to find out how your flight will be equipped.
Even on a plane equipped with electrical outlets, electrical equipment sometimes fails, and if you need to pump in flight (or at the airport restroom) the most reliable option is to bring along a battery adapter for your pump so that you can use it anywhere.
I’d argue that the onus is on the passenger to call the airline and check the TSA site. Also read the manual of the pump and know the power requirements.
It’s possible she hasn’t flown before but it is common knowledge that the plugs in the bathroom are for shavers - they don’t produce a lot of power.
The airline has a whole section on its website about breastfeeding women, and infants. Yet it doesn't sufficiently explain breast pump use. The airline took it upon itself to say breastfeeding moms are welcome and pumps can be brought on board, but didn't say whether they could be used (presumably some can since many breastfeeding moms kinda have to pump on long flights), and if so what types.
I fly and that wasn't common knowledge to me. I also don't use razors to shave my face (not a man) so it isn't really relevant to me to know that, and I am unlikely to use any other electronic in a plane bathroom. I have also seen airplanes with plugs at every seat/row. Not just confined to bathrooms.
I just found an article that quickly explains that power outlets are found in first class, business class, and some economy seats for many long-haul/international Delta flights. Possibly could be why the mom thought she could switch with her first class family members real quick. Maybe she did look it up.
If she was somehow mistaken about her specific pump or voltage or whatever, well, excuse her for making a mistake. Either way Delta imo should clear it up on its website, which again, goes out of its way to point out it's friendly to breastfeeding moms. My main point is that regardless of what either party did wrong in this scenario, Delta has an actual section on its site about breastfeeding moms yet it doesn't let women know what pumps, if any, they can use on its flights. I mean, seems like the airline could do a little better in that regard. Maybe it would have avoided this whole thing altogether if it made its site more clear.
People just love to place blame, especially on customers in these scenarios. Maybe sometimes miscommunications or errors occur on one or both sides and everyone can learn something from it and improve for next time.
The bottom line is that this wasn't ever about breast feeding or pumping but the fact that Delta would not let her jump up into FC.
SHE made it about breast feeding by going public and putting Delta on blast.
That is where she is wrong.
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