Pumping breast milk on a plane....

[diznygirl]

When I nursed my kids, I could hand express and be empty in five minutes. Not sure why it would take her 15 minutes?

Because not everyone is the same.

 

[DizBelle]

I'm sure one of the main considerations the flight attendant initially had was the possibility of a passenger with a medical emergency in the lavatory who might require assistance. That's no doubt one of many reasons they make note of restroom occupation.

Fine. The FA did knock on the door and ask. The woman said she was pumping breast milk. There wasn't an emergency. Why didn't it just end there?

 

[wilkeliza]

Fine. The FA did knock on the door and ask. The woman said she was pumping breast milk. There wasn't an emergency. Why didn't it just end there?

See this is now where I'm confused. In the video the flight attendant says she didn't say she was pumping until after they had to come open the door. The FA also says none of the other passengers knew she was doing that and that she was going to take a while until after they asked her to open the door. So whose story is right? Did they knock on the door after 10 minutes and she said I just need a minute more and then 2 minutes later they came back and said okay enough open up? Or did she really say after the first 10 minutes I'm so sorry I'm pumping breast milk I will be a little while longer very politely to then be told to get out 2 minutes later?

 

[mjkacmom]

Fine. The FA did knock on the door and ask. The woman said she was pumping breast milk. There wasn't an emergency. Why didn't it just end there?

Maybe because the other passengers were feeling the need to relieve or sure, as well... And couldn't do it in their seats.

 

[gwynne]

Fine. The FA did knock on the door and ask. The woman said she was pumping breast milk. There wasn't an emergency. Why didn't it just end there?

It's part of the FA's job to keep an eye out for any illegal or dangerous activity. Commandeering the lav for an extended period of time is probably going to get the attention of the crew. I would guess the FA needed to make sure she was telling the truth. Not everyone does.

Maybe because the other passengers were feeling the need to relieve or sure, as well... And couldn't do it in their seats.

Exactly.

 

[arminnie]

A woman can pump milk in her seat. A person with IBS, a person with a recent gallbladder removal or just anyone with explosive diarrhea should not have to soil themselves in their seat so that a woman can pump in the lavatory. The lavatory is for the elimination of waste - not breast milk.

 

[CandleontheWater]

There are TWO other bathrooms, why is everyone so quick to jump to the conclusion that there was a line a people desperate to get into the one bathroom she was in. If there was an emergency, like someone was going to soil themselves, then under an emergency situation like that, they could have allowed that person to use the 1st class restroom. I haven't seen any evidence of a line of desperate people doing the pee pee dance and demanding that the women depart the bathroom, it seems like the FA is the only one who was making an issue of her pumping.

 

[mefordis]

A woman can pump milk in her seat. A person with IBS, a person with a recent gallbladder removal or just anyone with explosive diarrhea should not have to soil themselves in their seat so that a woman can pump in the lavatory. The lavatory is for the elimination of waste - not breast milk.

Did the airline say that? No, they said they will accommodate breast pumping mothers from now on, which sounds like their policy currently. The FA did not adhere to their policy, according to AA.

Also, I don't think coach seats have power outlets which are needed to plug in the breast pump.

 

[gwynne]

There are TWO other bathrooms, why is everyone so quick to jump to the conclusion that there was a line a people desperate to get into the one bathroom she was in. If there was an emergency, like someone was going to soil themselves, then under an emergency situation like that, they could have allowed that person to use the 1st class restroom. I haven't seen any evidence of a line of desperate people doing the pee pee dance and demanding that the women depart the bathroom, it seems like the FA is the only one who was making an issue of her pumping.

In 2015, you are not encouraged to "line up" for the lav. Most wait for the toilet in their seats. It's a safety issue. You may see a few in line now and then, but I have heard FA's many times tell folks to return to their seats and wait there.

You may think 1 lav is more than enough for over 100 people, I respectfully disagree. I don't think it's kind or nice to make light of adults and children who need to relieve themselves. The lavs are placed on airplanes for this specific reason.

Finally, once again I will point out this was absolutely not an emergency. The airlines are not going to make the 1st class lavs available to all, just because one passenger has decided to take an extended time in a lav in coach.

There are lots of passengers with various "needs" on any given airliner. They all share the limited space. Certainly it is not that hard to be reasonably kind and respectful of one another.

 

[mjkacmom]

There are TWO other bathrooms, why is everyone so quick to jump to the conclusion that there was a line a people desperate to get into the one bathroom she was in. If there was an emergency, like someone was going to soil themselves, then under an emergency situation like that, they could have allowed that person to use the 1st class restroom. I haven't seen any evidence of a line of desperate people doing the pee pee dance and demanding that the women depart the bathroom, it seems like the FA is the only one who was making an issue of her pumping.

http://blog.thetravelinsider.info/2012/11/how-many-restrooms-are-enough-on-a-plane.html

There are TWO other bathrooms, why is everyone so quick to jump to the conclusion that there was a line a people desperate to get into the one bathroom she was in. If there was an emergency, like someone was going to soil themselves, then under an emergency situation like that, they could have allowed that person to use the 1st class restroom. I haven't seen any evidence of a line of desperate people doing the pee pee dance and demanding that the women depart the bathroom, it seems like the FA is the only one who was making an issue of her pumping.

http://blog.thetravelinsider.info/2012/11/how-many-restrooms-are-enough-on-a-plane.html

 

[mnrose]

Did the airline say that? No, they said they will accommodate breast pumping mothers from now on, which sounds like their policy currently. The FA did not adhere to their policy, according to AA.

Also, I don't think coach seats have power outlets which are needed to plug in the breast pump.

Well, mine operated without electricity. It could operate quite nicely on battery power. Any mom worth her salt who travels is going to have one that operates both batteries and electric.

 

[gwynne]

Well, mine operated without electricity. It could operate quite nicely on battery power. Any mom worth her salt who travels is going to have one that operates both batteries and electric.

A basic manual pump works well, too. All the mom really needs to do is relieve the immediate pressure. It can be done reasonably quickly.

 

[smiths02]

Well, mine operated without electricity. It could operate quite nicely on battery power. Any mom worth her salt who travels is going to have one that operates both batteries and electric.

Exactly.
I think it absolutely ridiculous that on one hand some posters are saying that she faced dire medical consequences if she could not pump longer than 12 minutes while on the other hand thinking it okay for her only way to pump be a plug-in electric pump??? Mine plugged in, had battery back up AND could revert to manual. You should ALWAYS have a manual pump. My pump died after 11 months of working and pumping for twins. The company sent replacement quickly, but I manually pumped for a day or two.
I also always had a hands free bustier and a cover.

 

[mefordis]

American Airlines has apologized to Hannaman for the incident.

"It is disappointing that our flight attendants may have displayed discourteous responses to your breast pumping for your infant at home; every effort should have been made to accommodate you," the company wrote in an email, obtained by ABC. "Please be assured that your criticism has been used constructively to improve our service."

http://www.people.com/article/woman-humiliated-american-airlines-pumping-breast-milk-bathroom

I take this to mean AA will allow breast pumping mothers time and privacy required to pump in the lavs. I'd say the mother did a service to breastfeeding mothers who fly AA.

 

[CandleontheWater]

http://blog.thetravelinsider.info/2012/11/how-many-restrooms-are-enough-on-a-plane.html


http://blog.thetravelinsider.info/2012/11/how-many-restrooms-are-enough-on-a-plane.html

Did you read the part of the article that you posted where they talk about bathrooms are used for many things- guess what, pumping is one of those things.

I still find the idea that there are multiple people about to soil themselves because someone is using the bathroom to pump a bit over the top. Even my two year old can hold it for 10 minutes.

I've read in this thread the idea that if this women couldn't get through a flight without pumping, that she shouldn't have traveled, I'd like to turn that around and say that if you can't hold it for 10-15 minutes, maybe you shouldn't be traveling by air. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

 

[Cantw8]

more entitlement...the "my needs trump yours" is getting nauseating. It's a BATHROOM, designed for people to use when they have to relieve themselves. I travel quite a lot and YES there is more than one bathroom on a plane BUT you have to wait in your seat until it is unoccupied. The problem with that is that when it becomes available and your seat is not located close by, someone else jumps in before you can get there. To take a bathroom out of the equation because someone is pumping in it, with their Ipad, is ridiculous

 

[Pea-n-Me]

American Airlines has apologized to Hannaman for the incident.

I'd say the mother did a service to breastfeeding mothers who fly AA.

And maybe a disservice to everyone else. {Note to self, don't fly AA}

I've read in this thread the idea that if this women couldn't get through a flight without pumping, that she shouldn't have traveled, I'd like to turn that around and say that if you can't hold it for 10-15 minutes, maybe you shouldn't be traveling by air. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

I'm speechless.

 

[Planogirl]

And what if several women decide to pump at the same time? I know that it sounds ludicrous but no more so than an entitled woman deciding that she has exclusive right to a bathroom.

 

[mefordis]

I really have a difficult time understanding why women are so against this mother taking 15 or so minutes of lavatory time to pump her breastmilk. It's not the men, but the WOMEN. Where is the compassion and understanding? See, most men are like, meh, whatever, inconvenience but they get past it. Women, wow... they are out for blood! This explains why most of my friends have always been male, and still are! I just cannot deal with a flock of harpies harping on everything that goes on.

 

[mefordis]

And what if several women decide to pump at the same time? I know that it sounds ludicrous but no more so than an entitled woman deciding that she has exclusive right to a bathroom.

Then they should kick everyone out of first class and let them up there.