Probably a bit of a hot button topic - cruising and the nursing mom...

[renata102]

ps I have also flown with my than 3 months old daughter on Jetblue from California to New York (and flown many times after that) and I breast fed her on take off, middle of the flight and landing. I sat by the window and my husband next tome. THe third seat was not occupied so we put her carseat there. Many people did not even realize there was a newborn on board. Only when we landed and were getting off the plane (we preboarded first since we had a newborn).

Stand your ground!

[hooked-on-travel]

If you fly over Kansas you can be sure to print out their new NIP protection law,too. It just passed Monday. Good thing it's ok to keep doing what I've been doing...

[luvmy3boys]

If you fly over Kansas you can be sure to print out their new NIP protection law,too. It just passed Monday. Good thing it's ok to keep doing what I've been doing...

 

I was just going to say that! I'm in Wichita - where are you?

 

I nursed both of my boys (DS#1 until 20 months and DS#2 until 2). I never had a comment in public. I will nurse number 3 when he/she comes in August! The only person that ever said anything to me was family - can you believe it! So my response to - I can't believe you're still nursing was "Well, I suppose I had better start weaning - since they probably wouldn't let me share a dormroom with him at college! :)

 

There are more things in this world to worry about than nursing moms! If we could only get the same people to get upset about the tv programming!

[hooked-on-travel]

I'm in Shawnee (KC Metro, KS side). I'm "still" nursing DD, but she's only 6 months, so I don't get really rude comments yet. In fact, family has been the only parties interested in how long I plan to nurse. I quote the Academy of Pediatrics/World Health Organization that suggests the first year for sure then for as long as mutually acceptable. I say, "We'll see how long it's mutually acceptable." What I don't say is that it's OK for me longer than one year and it's really going to be up to DD.

[luvmy3boys]

I'm in Shawnee (KC Metro, KS side). I'm "still" nursing DD, but she's only 6 months, so I don't get really rude comments yet. In fact, family has been the only parties interested in how long I plan to nurse. I quote the Academy of Pediatrics/World Health Organization that suggests the first year for sure then for as long as mutually acceptable. I say, "We'll see how long it's mutually acceptable." What I don't say is that it's OK for me longer than one year and it's really going to be up to DD.

 

On the NBC morning show, they had someone from the American Academy of Pediatrics and she said that they reccommend two years. You should have seen Katie Couric's face and then later, not in the presence of the doctor, she said something like that's just creepy. That was the last time I watched her in the morning! :)

 

BTW, I used to live in Lee's Summit!

 

And if its up to DD, you may be in for the long haul! My #1 was ready to wean before 2, but #2 would be still nursing if I hadn't stopped! He was 2, but the nursing was interfering with my sleep. I work during the day so he nursed more at night - I think it was b/c he missed me - but I needed to wean him since I am pg and really tired at night. I almost couldn't function in the day b/c of those night feedings!

[TexasMommy]

My DD nursed until she was about 20 months. DS is 13 months old and still going strong. He has nursed on both cruises he has been on although I went to the cabin to do it. On the beach excursion I just did it in a lounge under a beach towel. Other than that..kept it to the stateroom.

[nyer]

I have a question for nursing moms. I will be flying with my daughter-in-law and her newborn cross-country (she will be nursing at that time). Do you really have to be careful what state you are flying over while breast feeding? I never heard of that.

[shellie100]

I have a question for nursing moms. I will be flying with my daughter-in-law and her newborn cross-country (she will be nursing at that time). Do you really have to be careful what state you are flying over while breast feeding? I never heard of that.

 

No, it should not matter what state you are flying over. I nursed on flights all over the country and never had a problem. As far as I am concerned, the baby has a right to eat no matter where we are. Frankly, I pity the fool who wants to challenge me on breastfeeding my baby in a plane. Hehehe! Anyway, your daughter-in-law should be fine. I wouldn't expect any problems.

[nyer]

Thanks, Shellie. A previous poster had mentioned that she researched the states that she would be flying over so that she would know when to feed her baby. It made me nervous. I feel better now.

[flminivanmama]

don't feel nervous :)

[daddydude]

We didn't try cruising while we had any kids of nursing age (our first cruise is this summer), but as my DW used to say (actually, she still does), that's the way God provided for babies to eat! Would you want to eat only in the bathroom or holed up someplace? No! So why inflict that on a baby? She always would wonder how women who didn't nurse their babies could ever make it through plane trips with them -- nursing them works like a charm to calm them down.

 

When we've traveled with babies, the way it worked is that DW would take care of what went into the baby, and I would take care of what came out. In the early days, there weren't changing tables in men's restrooms, but fortunately that has changed. Maybe the whole NIP thing will change for the better too.

[soweto]

We didn't try cruising while we had any kids of nursing age (our first cruise is this summer), but as my DW used to say (actually, she still does), that's the way God provided for babies to eat! Would you want to eat only in the bathroom or holed up someplace? No! So why inflict that on a baby? She always would wonder how women who didn't nurse their babies could ever make it through plane trips with them -- nursing them works like a charm to calm them down.

 

When we've traveled with babies, the way it worked is that DW would take care of what went into the baby, and I would take care of what came out. In the early days, there weren't changing tables in men's restrooms, but fortunately that has changed. Maybe the whole NIP thing will change for the better too.

 

Bravo for you daddydude! I really like your post. I can tell that you and your wife are seeing that nursing is the best choice for a baby! I have a 4 month old and an almost 4yr old and we are cruising in April. I fully intend to nurse my baby because that is how he has been eating since birth! Ofcourse, there is a time and place to nurse a baby and I will make sure each time I do this, it will be in a private place. It really makes me laugh when people say that seeing a nursing mother in offensive!! Aren't there much more offensive things in life than a mom feeding her baby?? Like you, my husband does his fair share of nappie changing which is Fantastic!:)

[daddydude]

It really makes me laugh when people say that seeing a nursing mother in offensive!! Aren't there much more offensive things in life than a mom feeding her baby??

From what I've read, there's plenty of offensive things going on in public on cruise ships! But nursing babies isn't one of them. If you're bothered by Nature's way of feeding babies, you need to get out and see the world a bit.

 

Like you, my husband does his fair share of nappie changing which is Fantastic!:)

I never minded. But I'm sure glad to be past that stage!

[IBoz]

I nursed DS for a year and DD until she was 9 months old, and I did nurse them in public. My favorite way to stay discreet was to use a baby sling, but I would also make do with a blankie or shawl. Luckily both were OK with having their head lightly covered. I am a strong advocate of nursing for as long as the Mom can. In my case, DS stopped on his own at about a year, and I stopped DD the very day she used her new teeth to bite me, causing me to get stitches somewhere I didn't really want them, LOL. I continued to pump for a while, but wasn't entirely successful. The nursing coordinator where I got the stitches said I should continue to nurse, but there was NO WAY I was giving that child another shot. I know I'm a chicken, but I figured DD had made her feelings known!

 

However, I must say that I do get a bit uncomfortable when I see a nursing mother in public that isn't trying to be at least a little discreet. By this I mean that rare mom that whips an entire breast right out of her bra and blouse. That may make me a hypocrit, but so be it. A woman should be allowed to nurse pretty much anywhere, but I think there is a responsibility to acknowledge that some people may be uncomfortable. I don't mean that the mom shouldn't nurse (far from it - it's the best thing for Mom and baby), but I also don't want to see her pretty much topless either.