Military Moms
November 10, 2006 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under law, pumping
Today in the United States we observe Veterans Day, which officially falls on Saturday, November 11. In honor of our veterans, let’s examine the experience of nursing mothers in the military.
*** Edited to state: I have compiled all the latest military rules regarding breastfeeding at the following link: U.S. Military Rules for Breastfeeding Mothers in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy.
I am trying to find info for my wife she is breastfeeding and is also on the Marine Corps. her authoritive figures are trying to make her go to the gas chamber where she will be breathing in a type of breathing disruptive like OC spray i have told her supperiors that i do not think that it is safe for my son they told me otherwise. Can you help me?
I don’t blame you for being worried. Find out exactly what type of gas/spray will be used, then try the following:
1. Contact your local La Leche league leader (find one at this link):
http://www.llli.org/WebIndex.html
The advice is free. She may not know the answer right off the bat but will have resources to find out more about the particular gas.
2. Call your son’s pediatrician for advice. Of course if s/he is a military doctor the advice might be a bit biased. You could consider getting a second opinion from an independent doctor.
3. Check this site for information on the safety of various chemical exposures for nursing mothers and their babies:
http://www.motherisk.org/index.jsp
Good luck.
do you know of any army regulations for breastfeeding mothers? i’ve found navy and air force but nothing from the army…
This is all I could find — not a regulation but it still might be helpful. See Section IX (p. 23 of the PDF document) of this Army “Leader’s Guide to Female Soldier Readiness.”
http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/documents/TG/TECHGUID/TG281A.pdf
Hope that helps!