Wednesday
Dec022009
Baby smothered on airplane: Is breastfeeding to blame?
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Yesterday the Associated Press issued a news report called Breast-feeding mother smothers baby on jet. I was profoundly disturbed by this article, for several reasons:
In my opinion there are more reasons than ever for airlines not to pass out blankets for breatsfeeding mothers to use to cover up. It is a human rights issue. It is a sanitary issue (how clean are those blankets really?). And it is a safety issue.
Need information on breastfeeding on an airplane? See my tips for breastfeeding on a plane.
Photo credit: Kelsey on flickr
- First, anytime a baby dies it is a tragedy. I'm sure the mother is devastated and the wording of the article title places the blame on the mother. It could have been phrased differently to report on the death without accusing the mother of smothering the baby.
- Second, breastfeeding does not smother babies. A while back I wrote about the rash of articles and arrests related to breastfeeding mothers drinking and concluded that you should not be drunk when caring for your baby, whether you are breastfeeding or not, so breastfeeding is really irrelevant to the case/issue. A breastfeeding mom should not be drunk when caring for her baby and a formula feeding mom should not be drunk when caring for her baby. I think the same logic applies here. This baby did not die because the mother was breastfeeding. Perhaps the baby was smothered, but a breastfed baby does not lie under the mother's breasts, so I fail to understand how breastfeeding has anything to do with the smothering (unless...see point #3).
Third, I wonder if there was a blanket involved. I've written before about the horrible incidents where moms are told to cover up while breastfeeding on an airplane or where airline policies suggest or insist that they should be covered up. Actual nursing covers, which moms can choose to but do not have to use, allow the baby to breathe under them. Airline blankets and many baby blankets do not. If this baby's head was covered by a blanket, I certainly hope this will make the airlines rethink their horrible practice of passing out blankets to breastfeeding moms and asking them to cover up. This has to stop.
In my opinion there are more reasons than ever for airlines not to pass out blankets for breatsfeeding mothers to use to cover up. It is a human rights issue. It is a sanitary issue (how clean are those blankets really?). And it is a safety issue.
Need information on breastfeeding on an airplane? See my tips for breastfeeding on a plane.
Photo credit: Kelsey on flickr
Reader Comments (67)
Just fyi - the caption says that, yes, but the majority of the video focuses on the benefits of breastfeeding. There is a description in the middle of how DHA formula is better for cognition than non DHA formula according to a study, but it starts and ends with the message that breast milk is best. The doctor even describes how bm changes along the way - etc etc. It really was a good video -- just poorly captioned.
@Olivia: I have done that with older babies, but might not with a newborn. Not if I was potentially going to fall asleep too.
I think the trouble with the term co-sleeping, is many associate this with bed sharing. They read the headline "co-sleeping is dangerous" or suchlike and that might be all they see (ie on a newstand or maybe) and take away the message is about bed sharing.
Falling asleep holding a young baby on a plane is dangerous - that to me is about the bottom line. Just like falling asleep on a sofa is. This I think should be the message, so that ALL parents (bfing or otherwise) are made aware. I don't personally think a sling would be particularly safe either if the wearer was planning on sleeping too and was flying solo; not with a baby so young.
The kangaroo mother care shirts may be a better option if mum can recline her seat, due to the fact they are tied in such a way that preserves the airway.
QUOTE is a description in the middle of how DHA formula is better for cognition than non DHA formula according to a study, but it starts and ends with the message that breast milk is best. END QUOTE
Don't all formula adverts though? (not saying this isn't good as I haven't seen it) but breast is best is a particularly strong artificial milk marketing technique.
The DHA thing is not clear cut. There has been research that found side effects to the ingredients added for DHA in some infants and other studies that showed worse outcome. It's not comparable to DHA in breastmilk as that is naturally occuring, not extracted from algae or tuna eye sockets! Another big experiment imo.
Hmm, I watched part of it, it seemed like yet another "advertorial" for how formula is just as good these days, with the usual lip service to "breast is best". Perhaps I turned if off too soon; regardless, it seemed in poor taste in light of the subject of the article...
The language is just all wrong in these reports, isn't it? Why was the adjective "breastfeeding" tied to "mother" in the first place (she could have simply been described as a "mother")? The use of the word "smother" even -- the cause of death is still unknown, isn't it (the incident could have been described as "accidental" or "unknown" until they know further)? And why was it necessary in some reports to describe her as an "Egyptian" with an "Amercian baby"? Not only does the language make me sad, I am so so sad for this poor woman and what she must be going through right now.
It will be interesting to see what comes out of this ~ and how it is handled by the media. Lots of love to this poor mother..
I'm shocked that I just found you (on Twitter) and we're in the same city and share the same views on parenting. What on earth!?
I couldn't agree more with your original post. In fact, I just finished a public breastfeeding rant on my blog a few minutes ago in which I admit to previously being a bathroom stall breastfeeder. The fact that I felt so judged and ashamed as a mother feeding her baby in the normal, natural way that I hid away in a stall is a sign of how unhealthy our views about breasts, nursing and sexuality are. And I do wonder if this woman was asked to cover up with a blanket for similar reasons. I also wonder how many expectant parents are going to see the 'is breastfeeding to blame?' slant of the articles and rethink their decision to breastfeeding.
It's a sad, backwards society we live in.
The Maven - I really hope this bathroom stall thing can get changed in our society too! "Drinking/eating" and "toilet" just don't go together!
@The Maven @coffeewithjulie:
Have you seen these great PSAs about (not) breastfeeding in the bathroom?
http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/01/23/no-need-to-hide/" rel="nofollow">No need to hide
I realize that is true, I just feel for any woman who has to travel that far with such a young child when she is likely to be so overwhelmed and both mentally and physically exhausted, and wish there were better ways to provide support.
These are great! Thanks for pointing them out for me. I remember feeling so fortunate when my daughter was young that there was a swanky new store in Bayshore with its own beautiful "mother's room" -- with no toilet in sight. Beautiful chairs, soft lighting and even a tv for a nursing mom's pleasure. Sadly, the store didn't last here in Ottawa. Obviously, mothers can/should/will nurse wherever they and their children please (eating is a basic right, afterall!), but for me, I did love the quiet and privacy of this mother's room.
@coffeewithjulie:
All of the malls in Ottawa do have nursing rooms (not toilet stalls) for moms who wish to nurse privately. Not sure which store you are referring to, but the mall itself has a nursing room.
Yes, I've taken advantage of the nursing areas provided for moms in malls. I didn't mean to suggest that they don't exist, but this store (gosh, can't remember the name!) really went above and beyond -- and I appreciated it and tried to give them my business whenever I could as a result. I always preferred using their nursing room over the mall's option which (at least in 2002) wasn't bad but was still located inside the women's washrooms. I've never actually done the stall thing but I can certainly admit to running out to the car to nurse in private.
@coffeewithjulie:
Bayshore's current nursing room was definitely added later than 2002. My son was born in 2004 and I think it may have been added after he was born.
[...] In light of recent events, if you are travelling with a very small baby, please be aware that the need for safe cosleeping applies on a plane as well as on land. Sleeping while you are babywearing is not safe with small babies. I believe that with a toddler it is unlikely to present a danger if you are seated on the plane, however. If you are travelling with an infant, ask for the baby bassinette when you book your ticket so that you will have somewhere safe to place the baby when you need to sleep. Travelling is exhausting for parents too! [...]
I'm a BFing mama of my very first miracle baby (6mos). My heart aches for this poor mama. I do have an interesting perspective though. I am an H cup and I am here to tell you that BFing with very large tatas requires hyper vigilance. I could have easily smothered my daughter at 4wks. My breast was more than twice the size of her head and if I let go of it while BFing she was not yet strong enough to pull herself out from under it. I wish there was a support group for mamas with big tatas because I had no idea what I was doing 'wrong' that made me unable BF one handed. I refuse to cover up no matter where I am. If I cannot see my baby I cannot feed her and I don't have an extra hand to mess with a blanket. I agree with the person who said she is appalled at the sight of a baby guzzling artificial 'nourishment' from a plastic teat. I'm tired a people acting like its weird or rude for me to nourish my child in a way that produces 0 waste and requires 0 government assistance. As for 'indecency' I would prefer my child to see a whole breast feeding a baby than a half clothed breast of some one dressed inappropriately.