Breastmilk on Flights

[gasperdam]

I have some confusion on this issue; Why is it that babies who have been
purchased a seat for are required to buckled into their carseat, while those that are lapsitting are not required to?(obviously)

What I'm saying, is that if my baby is a lapsit, then I can nurse him during takeoff/landing;and that would deter me from purchasing him a seat, so that I wouldn't be forced to stop nursing him at that point.

 

[KK'sMommy]

posted in the wrong place

 

[Princess Roo]

I have some confusion on this issue; Why is it that babies who have been
purchased a seat for are required to buckled into their carseat, while those that are lapsitting are not required to?(obviously)

What I'm saying, is that if my baby is a lapsit, then I can nurse him during takeoff/landing;and that would deter me from purchasing him a seat, so that I wouldn't be forced to stop nursing him at that point.

The reason is that "all ticketed passengers" must be seated with seatbelts fastened when the seatbelt light is illuminated, per FAA regulations. There is no seatbelt to fasten on a lap child (and they're not ticketed). Maybe it's a liability issue for the airline if there is an accident that they are absolved of if the baby isn't ticketed? It is unfortunate, since I'm sure the rule does deter some people from purchasing seats for their baby that otherwise would...and cause some distress for moms that had planned to nurse that found out too latte that they couldn't. As PP said, I did have a FA once tell me to sit my lap child up with his back to my chest for takeoff and landing and that it wasn't safe to nurse, but when I asked her if that was a regulation or just her advice, she admitted it was just advice. I actually don't start nursing until the airplane is a good bit off the ground, for that reason.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Just to clarify, if your baby is a lap child, you CAN nurse during takeoff and landing. If you purchased a seat for your child, the FA is allowed to require that your baby be buckled when the seatbelt light is on (some do, some don't).

I have purchased seats when my kids were infants for the extra room. They did not have a carseat so I can't imagine this is true. How would you safely strap a 6 month old in?

 

[accountingbabe08]

Definitely don't pump and dump its liquid gold.

 

[Zeebs]

The reason is that "all ticketed passengers" must be seated with seatbelts fastened when the seatbelt light is illuminated, per FAA regulations. There is no seatbelt to fasten on a lap child (and they're not ticketed). Maybe it's a liability issue for the airline if there is an accident that they are absolved of if the baby isn't ticketed? It is unfortunate, since I'm sure the rule does deter some people from purchasing seats for their baby that otherwise would...and cause some distress for moms that had planned to nurse that found out too latte that they couldn't. As PP said, I did have a FA once tell me to sit my lap child up with his back to my chest for takeoff and landing and that it wasn't safe to nurse, but when I asked her if that was a regulation or just her advice, she admitted it was just advice. I actually don't start nursing until the airplane is a good bit off the ground, for that reason.

I don't want to start a debate on this as a smarty comment from myself on this matter may have had another thread shut down. (sorry) But how does it really matter if your child is not belted in if he/she is sat up on you or lying down????? Fortunately we haven't had to take an internal flight within the USA yet which is lucky as I like to feed during take off, especially when my babies can move around as it is a good thing to keep them still when they have to be without them getting cranky and screaming.

Kirsten

 

[dis-happy]

I've always nursed my infant lap babies during take-off and landing, most recently in Jan. 2007, no problems.

I also like to try and make the TSA guys blush if possible, puts a little fun in the travel day and makes up for no one helping me balance an infant who can't hold his head up while they are telling me I need to collapse the stroller and put it through the conveyor belt---not enough hands, thank you very much!!

Anyway, I pull out my separate cooler bag with storage bags of milk and the ice pack, hand it over personally and loudly and clearly say: "I'm declaring my expressed breast milk!" If I'm lucky they mumble something in a slightly embarrassed tone and hand it back. LOL!!!

 

[Princess Roo]

Just to clarify, as I said in my earlier post, if you are traveling with a lap baby, you definitely are allowed to nurse during takeoff and landing (a FA may suggest that you not do so - the one that suggested to me said that it was safer to get a good hold on the baby sitting against your back rather than laying on your lap where easier to roll off - but it's only a suggestion). If you have a carseat in a purchased seat, they CAN require that the child be buckled up, but they might not. Mouse House Mama's point is an interesting one, but I doubt too many people buy seats for children too young to sit, but don't bring carseats to put in them, and my guess is in that case the FA would assume it was just an empty seat. (You could try using that logic when trying to get an FA to let you nurse when you have a carseat, though, and it might work!) I'm not saying I support the requirement. It seems silly to me that you're allowed to have a lap baby, but that once you purchase a seat for them, the rules change about having them on your lap. Like I said earlier, I expect it has to do with liability. I know some FAs do not enforce it.

I did personally run into the situation where I had a carseat, but it was put in an empty seat, not one that I had purchased. The FA seemed to believe she had to authority to require I have my baby buckled in, rather than nursing, even though he wasn't "ticketed". (I'm still not sure about that case, due the the phrase "ticketed passenger" in the FAA requirements.) But this is where I first learned about the requirements. I had to deal with a wailing baby who I had planned on nursing and who wouldn't take a paci and who I hadn't brought a bottle for, since I didn't think I'd need it. I just want to let as many people know about this as possible, so they won't be put in that same situation unprepared.

 

[NotUrsula]

The FA seemed to believe she had to authority to require I have my baby buckled in, rather than nursing, even though he wasn't "ticketed". (I'm still not sure about that case, due the the phrase "ticketed passenger" in the FAA requirements.)

Oh, she did have the authority -- believe it. What "ticketed passenger" means in practice is "has his/her own seat", even if the seat is gratis.

If you have not actually paid for the seat the FA's call the shots about what you can and can't do (including use a carseat), but when you *have* paid for a seat you have the right to use the carseat. On planes, the rules about seatbelts during takeoff and landing trump the right to nurse in public places.

The federal rules re: carseat use can be found at 14 CFR 121.311. It doesn't refer to "ticketed passengers" -- it specifies persons, and says who may or may not share a "seat or berth".

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Interesting....but what about what I mentioned? I have bought a seat for an infant and not brought a carseat. I just wanted to extra room. Then what? Will they make me strap a child in a seat that can't sit up yet?

 

[Munchkin'sMommy]

Ok, just to clea up any confusion, the following information comes out of my FAA Approved Flight Attendant Manual, verbatim:

"Child restraint devices cannot be used in an aisle seat, in a designated exit row, forward or AFT of an exit row. Should a large non-approved or FAA approved child restraint be brought on board and can not be stowed properly, it must checked. During an emergency, the child must be removed from the restraint and carried to an exit."

"The FAA has approved certain child restraints which may be used by an infant or small child weighing up to 40 pounds during takeoff, landing and Turbulence. All child restraints must have a loabel that states that the restraint confroms to the Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Standards and it must also bear a label that states the restraint is certified for use about motor vehicles and commerical aircraft. The FAA recommeds the use of of a rear facing child restraint for children weighing under 20 pounds and and a forward facing system for children 20-40 pounds. It is recommended that children weighing more than 40 pounds vuse the standard lap belt (have their own seat). Parents have the option of carrying children under the age of 2 on their laps."

The flight attendant is required the check the car seat to make sure it has the required labels on the seat. If not, you will not be able to use it although the gate agent is required to check as well.

Lap Children:

"Lap children are infants at least 2 days and under 2 years old and are not required to occupy a seat. The accompanying adult will hold the infant in his/her lap; the seat belt must be located around the ADULT ONLY, If there is a seat available next to the adult, then the adult may choose to place the chid in an approved restraint device at not additional charge. Customers may alo purchase a seat to ensure that they are able to use a restraint device. The adult may also choose to place the child in a seperate a/c seat and place the seat belt around the child (THE CHILD MUST BE ABLE TO SIT UPRIGHT AND AND PILLOWS MAY BE USED BEHIND THE CHILD T O ALLOW A BETTER SEATBELT FIT). One lap child per adult is permitted. "

"All children must be secured for taxi, takeoff, landing, turbulence and any time the Fasten Seatbelt sign is on whether they are secured by a child restraint device or secured by a parent holding them" This is major FAA Federal Air Regulation and a FA can be fined for not making sure everyone is secured during these times.

I know this does not really address the nursing issue, but I think the FAA policy is pretty clear on child restraint devices and what consitutes a lap child. Like I said, this information came vebatim out of my flight attendant manual.

 

[Princess Roo]

Ok, just to clea up any confusion, the following information comes out of my FAA Approved Flight Attendant Manual, verbatim:

"Child restraint devices cannot be used in an aisle seat, in a designated exit row, forward or AFT of an exit row. Should a large non-approved or FAA approved child restraint be brought on board and can not be stowed properly, it must checked. During an emergency, the child must be removed from the restraint and carried to an exit."

"The FAA has approved certain child restraints which may be used by an infant or small child weighing up to 40 pounds during takeoff, landing and Turbulence. All child restraints must have a loabel that states that the restraint confroms to the Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Standards and it must also bear a label that states the restraint is certified for use about motor vehicles and commerical aircraft. The FAA recommeds the use of of a rear facing child restraint for children weighing under 20 pounds and and a forward facing system for children 20-40 pounds. It is recommended that children weighing more than 40 pounds vuse the standard lap belt (have their own seat). Parents have the option of carrying children under the age of 2 on their laps."

The flight attendant is required the check the car seat to make sure it has the required labels on the seat. If not, you will not be able to use it although the gate agent is required to check as well.

Lap Children:

"Lap children are infants at least 2 days and under 2 years old and are not required to occupy a seat. The accompanying adult will hold the infant in his/her lap; the seat belt must be located around the ADULT ONLY, If there is a seat available next to the adult, then the adult may choose to place the chid in an approved restraint device at not additional charge. Customers may alo purchase a seat to ensure that they are able to use a restraint device. The adult may also choose to place the child in a seperate a/c seat and place the seat belt around the child (THE CHILD MUST BE ABLE TO SIT UPRIGHT AND AND PILLOWS MAY BE USED BEHIND THE CHILD T O ALLOW A BETTER SEATBELT FIT). One lap child per adult is permitted. "

"All children must be secured for taxi, takeoff, landing, turbulence and any time the Fasten Seatbelt sign is on whether they are secured by a child restraint device or secured by a parent holding them" This is major FAA Federal Air Regulation and a FA can be fined for not making sure everyone is secured during these times.

I know this does not really address the nursing issue, but I think the FAA policy is pretty clear on child restraint devices and what consitutes a lap child. Like I said, this information came vebatim out of my flight attendant manual.

Thank you so much for taking the time to type this for us. Do you read it the same as I do - saying that when a child is under 2 we have the option to secure them "by a parent holding them" rather than a carseat-belt, even if that carseat is available for them? To me, that's what it seems to say, but I'm not sure it's clear enough that I could convince a FA who thought I had to use the carseat in that situation. (Actually, reading this it now makes more sense to me why some FAs allow you to hold the child and others make you buckle them in.) My new baby won't take a paci, either, so I was not planning on traveling with a carseat for her, so that I'd be sure I could nurse her. But this, combined with MouseHouse Mama's example of "what if I didn't have a carseat", might be enough to make me try. I could always pack a hand-pump, too, and tell the FA if she doesn't let me hold the baby I'll start pumping in front of everyone.

 

[crisi]

If you've flown recently and are aware of air turblence, ignore this - you are capable of making your own choice. If you haven't, you should be aware of turbulence.

I've flown a lot recently. About 60% of my landings and 20% of my takeoffs have been too turblent for me to have been comfortable with a lap child - in one case (worse landing I've ever had) I was lifted off my seat and was only held in place by my seatbelt - and I heard a few "BANG - OWs!" from people not properly belted in. It can be a little like holding a child on your lap while riding a kiddie coaster.

If you've flown a lot, you can make your own decisions. If you haven't, and aren't aware of how turblent landings often are, its worth mentioning before you decide. Children do get injured on planes in turblence when their parents don't/can't keep a good hold on them. And my own squirmy children were occasionally hard to keep a good hold on.