Ever breastfeed while on a car ride?

Marisa - posted on 10/01/2012

As a point of information, it's perfectly legal in Idaho to remove your child from the safety seat to breastfeed.



http://www.dmv.org/id-idaho/safety-laws....



I have 3 children and when we get off the plane from San Diego to Boise the older two are cranky and our infant is usually asleep. Unfortunately it's a long ride from the airport to my mom's house so the baby has woken up in the past and cried her eyes out. I pop her out, nurse her a few minutes to satiate her, and put her back. There's no way we're pulling over and making everyone in the car wait while I nurse.

Sammy - posted on 11/22/2009

I would never do this! Even if u are both buckled in, leaning over the car seat is dangerous..what if someone crashed into your car and pinned you down on top of your baby?? Your baby would die!
If your baby needs sucking for comfort, try a dummy or if they won't take a dummy (like my daughter) then let the baby suck on a toy or a face washer

Andrea - posted on 11/22/2009

I've done it, but I NEVER take my baby out of the car seat. A crash can happen in an instant. You should never take a baby out of his car seat if you're on the road.

And, I have taken long trips with an exclusively breast-fed baby. You just have to plan on it taking longer.

Cassie - posted on 11/22/2009

I completely agree! It is absolutely ridiculous to breastfeed your child in a moving vehicle while your son is not in his car seat! You are asking for disaster and will be held accountable and responsible if he is injured or killed in a car crash! I have never and will never!

Teresa - posted on 11/22/2009

Quoting Gwen:

Well, actually, it isn't to take minutes off the trip. If it were just for a feeding, we'd stop. Sometimes if he's crying uncortrollably on a long trip, I make the exception. And it isn't often. We sit in the backseat. I get him back in as soon as possible.

I'm not advocating being dangerous, nor am I even encouraging the behavior. I am simply asking if other mothers have or even have not/would not.

This is a forum for opinions. And opinions can be stated stongly without resorting to using words like dumb, crazy, stupid, selfish, etc. I respect the opinions of each and every one of you. Let's try and maintain the supportive, open nature of this site!

But risking your child's life just because you can't handle a little bit of screaming IS stupid.  I really, truely can NOT think of a nice way to put that.  Sorry, a little bit of screaming will not KILL a child, but an accident... even a MINOR one can and does every day.

Tammy - posted on 11/22/2009

I too BF while in the car. I have learned some great new positions and I may get a kink or two but she has learned to latch while I'm in a crazy position. Both of us are safe and buckled. Makes me sore sometimes but worth it for her!

Gwen - posted on 11/22/2009

Well, actually, it isn't to take minutes off the trip. If it were just for a feeding, we'd stop. Sometimes if he's crying uncortrollably on a long trip, I make the exception. And it isn't often. We sit in the backseat. I get him back in as soon as possible.

I'm not advocating being dangerous, nor am I even encouraging the behavior. I am simply asking if other mothers have or even have not/would not.

This is a forum for opinions. And opinions can be stated stongly without resorting to using words like dumb, crazy, stupid, selfish, etc. I respect the opinions of each and every one of you. Let's try and maintain the supportive, open nature of this site!

Krystal - posted on 11/22/2009

Quoting Gwen:

Quoting alicia:

I cannot believe you would even ask!! Of course not, its so dangerous and if anything happened, it would be YOUR fault for not taking care. And you don't 'have to'!! Even if you are late, or you think you will lose your job or whatever, your baby's safety is way more important. So pull over or have a bottle ready to give.

Could there possibly have been a better way to state your opinion w/o ridicule? Also, have you ever driven across the country with an exclusively breastfed baby?

This is not the place for criticism. All opinions are welcome.

Im sorry Gwen but im completely with Alicia also. I think she is the same as me (and other mums), shocked that someone would risk their childs life just to avoid a few mins delayed in their trip. I dont think she meant to ridicule you but rather try get her point across strongly. xx

Tricia - posted on 11/22/2009

I can only BF while we're both buckled in if I don't use the base for the carseat, otherwise I'm not tall enough and I can't get my boob to his mouth. That said, when I had to go with my husband on a youth group trip, I spent most of the 1.5 hour drives there and back BFing. Both buckled in, and none of the high schoolers the wiser. All they knew was when mama leaned over, baby stopped yelling.

Christina - posted on 11/22/2009

I sit in the back seat with my daughter she stays straped in her carseat and I lean forward to reach her. Not he most comfey thing but what are you gonna do;)

Sunni Chea - posted on 11/22/2009

yes i have.

Gwen - posted on 11/22/2009

Quoting alicia:

I cannot believe you would even ask!! Of course not, its so dangerous and if anything happened, it would be YOUR fault for not taking care. And you don't 'have to'!! Even if you are late, or you think you will lose your job or whatever, your baby's safety is way more important. So pull over or have a bottle ready to give.

Could there possibly have been a better way to state your opinion w/o ridicule? Also, have you ever driven across the country with an exclusively breastfed baby?

This is not the place for criticism. All opinions are welcome.

Amber - posted on 11/21/2009

Removing your baby from the car seat while the car is moving is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. All it takes is one person not paying attention to the road and hit you or something. Look at full grown adults who get in minor accidents...they get really beat up with broken bones...now imagine a baby that is much smaller than adult, can you imagine what it would do to them. Now think about it, how would you feel if you ever did get in an accident and something really bad happened to your baby. Just pull over and feed your baby while the car is stopped!

Susan - posted on 11/21/2009

I'm a Child Passenger Safety Tech and a BF'ing mom of almost 11 months. I've NEVER nursed him while the car was moving. We pull off the road into a parking area when he needs to nurse. And sometimes...he has to cry. I love him far too much to make a stupid mistake like that.



Also...feeding them in the car seat is dangerous as well...even if you're buckled up. The belt likely is not fitting you properly---risking your life. Plus the additional weight on the car seat as you move forward and down and the seat is rebounding up....someone is bound to get severly injured....and it's going to be your baby.



Susan

Teresa - posted on 11/21/2009

If someone else was driving and I could do it while he was still strapped in... then I would, but that's never happened. Take my baby out of his car seat while the car is in motion though? Stupid, dangerous, and illegal. I don't want a dead baby.

Eunice - posted on 11/20/2009

Probably not the safest, plus probably illegal in most places if you're not buckled up. I agree with most of the other moms here -- pull over and feed baby. A few minutes pulled over on the side of the road won't hurt and if you're rushing to get somewhere, it can wait a few minutes to get baby fed.

Krystal - posted on 11/20/2009

Quoting amber:

it just takes a few minutes to pull over and feed him. if you're nursing him while you're driving, you'll be distracted from the road and that makes it even MORE dangerous!!!! it's illegal and extremely dangerous! if you had even just a little accident, the baby would literally fly out the windshield. in an accident, every loose object in the car becomes a projectile, and the force is so great that you would have no chance of trying to hold onto him. its very dangerous and he WILL die if you have an accident! is it really worth that, or wouldn't it just be easier to pull over for 15 minutes?

Thank god you wrote that Amber..i cant believe anyone  would risk their babys life just to avoid being a few minutes late? Selfish if you ask me.Some of these posts are just unbelievable.

Carla - posted on 11/20/2009

LOL Lisa, pics are good! ***"do your boobs hang low, can you swing them to and fro, can you tie them in a knot, can you tie them in a bow...."***

Carla - posted on 11/20/2009

please pull over if you need to take the baby out of the car seat. BFing whilst driving is very dangerous. Even a minor bump could kill your baby, the airbag would suffocate him, and if you dont have a seatbelt on you could crush him. Quick question... you must have to pull over to get him out of the carseat, no? So why not just take the extra few minutes to feed him safely? Babies need to be in carseats, its law for a reason.

Kathryn - posted on 11/20/2009

On our 4hr drive to in-laws when my daughter was about a month old we pulled off the road so I could feed her. A cop stopped by to make sure we were ok (ya know, checking on a car on the side of the road) and said we aren't supposed to pull over like that unless the car broke down...
so yeah, maybe he was just stupid but we don't pull over anymore. i feed my babies right before we leave and i bring a hand pump & bottle just in case.

Geralyn - posted on 11/20/2009

Lisa, love the photos! Thanks for sharing!

Mandy - posted on 11/20/2009

Quoting Lisa:



http://www.breastfeedingart.net/1900/Enl...

(For the sensitive- this is breastfeeding art and does show breasts).

LOL love it. lets hope our boobs dont get so much gravity as we get older :o)

Mandy - posted on 11/20/2009

i have fed my baby in the car, hurt my back leaning over the carseat. would have made the man behind us laugh!

Minnie - posted on 11/20/2009

I think we should stretch our breasts with weights like these ladies. Then we can just toss them over our shoulders when we're driving like they do ;)



http://www.breastfeedingart.net/1900/Enl...



(For the sensitive- this is breastfeeding art and does show breasts).

Alicia - posted on 11/20/2009

I cannot believe you would even ask!! Of course not, its so dangerous and if anything happened, it would be YOUR fault for not taking care. And you don't 'have to'!! Even if you are late, or you think you will lose your job or whatever, your baby's safety is way more important. So pull over or have a bottle ready to give.

April - posted on 11/20/2009

I have done it before, but we were stuck in traffic for hours and there was no place to pull over. it gave me chills down my spine to hear my little baby crying out like that, but still i haven't done it since. he didn't even nurse...he won't do it in the car whether it is moving or not . no sense in risking his safety anyway

Jamie - posted on 11/20/2009

are you crazy? never never never. my family lives 6 hours away so we take frequent trips, including when she was only 3 weeks old. ALWAYS pull over. even when my husband is driving, we always pull over.

it is never the only option.

Heidi - posted on 11/20/2009

Ya, I wouldn't take him out of the car seat. It has crossed my mind before. God forbid, but can you imagine if something happened to your baby? You would feel so guilty. It's not a good idea. I thought I was the only crazy Mom that breast fed while they are still in the car seat. But, I guess not! :) I have done it and it worked for him and me. And remember, you are the Mom and the one that's in control. They might cry sometime, but if you teach them now that all they have to do it cry and you give them what they want... they will do this when they are 2 or 3 or 10! You know the difference in cries. Most likely baby just wants the comfort of nursing and when you are in the car, you can't always do that for them. Pull over or if you can't handle the crying, then don't do long trips. Please keep your baby in his car seat.

Amber - posted on 11/20/2009

it just takes a few minutes to pull over and feed him. if you're nursing him while you're driving, you'll be distracted from the road and that makes it even MORE dangerous!!!! it's illegal and extremely dangerous! if you had even just a little accident, the baby would literally fly out the windshield. in an accident, every loose object in the car becomes a projectile, and the force is so great that you would have no chance of trying to hold onto him. its very dangerous and he WILL die if you have an accident! is it really worth that, or wouldn't it just be easier to pull over for 15 minutes?

Theresa - posted on 11/20/2009

lol I've done it a few times when we were just too far from home and he was too hungry to wait.



NOT WHILE DRIVING, mind you.

Minnie - posted on 11/20/2009

Quoting Lubnah :

I know it's dangerous..but I really have to.u know why?bcause he'll cry and disturb my driving.I hope nothing will happen to me and my baby...I'll pray everytime I do that.I'll always bring some biscuits and toys in the car so that he wouldn't feel bored.

If you are driving alone with just your baby you need to pull over to nurse your baby.  Please don't take your baby out of his carseat to nurse while the car is moving.

Lubnah - posted on 11/20/2009

I know it's dangerous..but I really have to.u know why?bcause he'll cry and disturb my driving.I hope nothing will happen to me and my baby...I'll pray everytime I do that.I'll always bring some biscuits and toys in the car so that he wouldn't feel bored.

Rebecca - posted on 11/13/2009

I have nursed while in a car many times! I leave baby in the car seat and I am able to have my belt on as well. It does take some bizzare positions but you just kinda lean over the baby and they are able to latch on that way. Its not the most comfortable but if you dont want to or cant stop then its the best way to do it. I highly recomend NOT to take baby out of the car seat to nurse while driving, that is just way to dangerous and heaven forbid you ever got into a car accident while doing it. But it is doable to nurse them while in their seat.

Minnie - posted on 11/13/2009

When my daughter was three weeks old we took a car trip from NH to FL, 28 hours total. We stopped once for the night and potty/stretch breaks. But she nurses very very frequently, much of it for comfort, and she would have been inconsolable if I hadn't been able to nurse her while my husband was driving.



I of course don't take her out of the carseat. I've just learned some gymnastics. I sit in the back on one foot for leverage and lean over. Even at three weeks she could figure out how to latch on like that. I still nurse her at 12 months on car rides while sitting in the back seat with her. I can even stay buckled in.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 11/13/2009

No. Not a good idea. We've traveled from Texas to Ohio (and back) 3 times now and I never did this. I either pumped while in the truck and then bottlefed or we stopped the truck. There is always someplace to pull over.

Jennifer - posted on 11/13/2009

DANGEROUS-Don't do it, stop the car and feed the baby!

Amanda - posted on 11/13/2009

I have breast fed on long trips before but never take the baby out of the car-seat. It takes a bit of flexibility but I always leaned over the seat and did it that way...and let me tell you that gets some looks from passersby