Michigan's Mackinac Bridge (Photo by Cece Chen)

The legislation now also prohibits removing a child from a car seat to nurse while the vehicle is in motion. Babies should only be nursed once the vehicle has been stopped in a safe place. With this change, Michigan is now eligible for additional federal traffic safety funds.

My spies tell me that some Michigan moms questioned why the new law specifically references breastfeeding. If you say that babies always need to be in their car seats when the vehicle is in motion, then arguably you do not need to say there is no exception for breastfeeding. However, the past exemption and recent cases of mothers driving while breastfeeding make the clarification a good idea!

What about you, moms? Have you ever taken your baby out of the car seat to nurse while the vehicle is in motion (you can post anonymously)? Have you ever gotten out of your seat belt to nurse your baby still strapped in the car seat (trust me, it can be done, even if it’s not safe)? Or do you always keep on driving with a screaming baby until it is safe to pull over to nurse?

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

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Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Liz at Alzheimer’s Notes sets out important considerations when traveling with someone with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Travel is one of Kristina’s favorite metaphors to describe her family’s life with Charlie in what she has sometimes called “Autismland,” a word meant to capture the sense of how raising an autistic child is an experience perhaps quite different from what one might have imagined. Read about Kristina’s Travels with Charlie at Autism Vox.

Here are some tips for finding vegetarian food while traveling, from Julie at Veggie Chic.

Gloria at Cancer Commentary talks about problems a cancer patient might encounter if traveling.

Alicia considers the issue of whether mental illness makes travel difficult in her post at Mental Health Notes.

Traveling with diabetes can be frustrating. Here are a few suggestions from Kendra at Diabetes Notes to make your air travel smoother.

Mark at a Dozen Steps sets out what a recovering person might consider before taking off on a trip.

Looking for a healthy snack bar for when you’re on the go? Ruth at Eating Fabulous shares her healthy snack bar pick.

At A Hearty Life, Kendra outlines special considerations for flying with pacemakers.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

TSA is also modifying the procedures associated with carrying breast milk through security checkpoints. Mothers flying with or without their child will be permitted to bring breast milk in quantities greater than three ounces as long as it is declared for inspection at the security checkpoint.

Thanks to Jake Marcus of Birth Without Boundaries for the tip!

Under the old airline rules, if a mother were traveling without her child, the carry-on amount was limited to one quart-sized clear plastic zip-top bag holding three-ounce containers of breast milk. Some women were forced to dump their breast milk either because the restrictive guidelines had not been met, or the TSA officer was unaware of the guidelines allowing properly packaged milk. Apparently complaints by those mothers, and the 5,700+ others who signed the petition to change the rules, made all the difference.

Ms. Marcus indicates that under the new policy, breast milk will be treated the same way as medication, which must be declared separately but may be carried on-board in unlimited quantities and in no special packaging. She recommends that traveling mothers print out a copy of the press release to take with them in case there is any question at the security checkpoint.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Amanda brought her 2-month-old baby girl Frances Pen with her on the plane. Unfortunately for Amanda it was one of “those” nightmare flights where she had to walk Frances up and down the aisle while alternately carrying her in a sling or Baby Bjorn. As parents we’ve all been there. Breastfeeding can make all the difference though — remember “Traveling with a First Class Nursling”?

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Ms. Gillette refused to cover up while breastfeeding her 22-month-old son as they sat on a plane waiting for take-off from Burlington Airport in Vermont. Vermont state law specifically protects breastfeeding in public:

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a mother may breastfeed her child in any place of public accommodation in which the mother and child would otherwise have a legal right to be.

Representatives for Delta and Freedom airlines argued that federal preemption laws prevented the state of Vermont from charging the airlines with a state civil rights violation. In its ruling, the Vermont Human Rights Commission cited federal and Vermont Supreme Court case law that provides otherwise.

The news brings great relief to Ms. Gillette:

“I think they made the right decision … I feel really pleased about it,” said Gillette, speaking by phone from Santa Fe, Monday. “It feels good to be validated by the state.”

It will be interesting to see whether the decision of the Vermont Human Rights Commission will prompt the airlines to work toward a settlement. Negotiations between Ms. Gillette and the airlines have failed up to this point and so far the airlines have offered only a weak apology.

With an investigation now underway, both parties will have an opportunity to submit information and speak before the Commission. Ms. Robinson explains:

If, after this, the commissioners decide that there are reasonable grounds to believe that unlawful discrimination occurred, the case will be transferred to the executive director, who will attempt to bring both parties to accept a settlement. If a settlement cannot be reached within six months, the commissioners will decide whether to close the case or take it to court, either in Montpelier or the court in the county in which the alleged incident took place.

Good luck Ms. Gillette! I feel safe in saying you have the continued support of lactivists across the country.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

To gain access to the locked room, simply ask at the Travelers Assistance information desk on the C concourse near the children’s play area across from gate C11.

Nursing mothers also have the option of using the “family room” which is open to all families traveling with small children (it’s located at the entrance to concourse E). Of course, let’s not forget that nursing mothers also have the option of nursing anywhere else in the airport should they feel comfortable doing so. The existence of a nursing room and family room does not mean that those are the only places in which a woman may breastfeed at the airport (and let’s be clear, the press release does not in any way imply otherwise). Kudos to Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport for creating a nursing room and putting the new international breastfeeding icon to good use! (Now pretty please can we get a sink and a changing table in the room? Not to be greedy or anything….)

Have you seen the breastfeeding icon in use yet? Leave a comment or send me a picture and I’ll post it here! And don’t forget to inform the Nursing Room Locator whenever you find a nursing room!

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

According to participants, when five mothers and nine children originally gathered at DFW for the national nurse-in on November 21, they were harassed by airport security and threatened with arrest for indecent exposure and disorderly conduct. Mothers participating in this second nurse-in not only will gather in support of the mother kicked off a Delta flight for nursing without covering up, but to insist that the airport police (Department of Public Safety officers) apologize for their inappropriate comments and threats. They want the officers to receive training in the Texas breastfeeding law and the statutes defining indecent exposure and disorderly conduct. As it turns out, the indecent exposure law in Section 21.08 of the Texas Penal Code does not apply to breasts (not that any mothers were exposing their breasts anyway) but rather a person’s genitals and anus. Furthermore, the mothers were incorrectly told they had to leave because they did not have a permit to protest. When the mothers sought to apply for a permit for this Friday’s nurse-in, airport administration informed them that in fact a permit is not required for a peaceful gathering inside the airport, but only for picketers carrying large signs outside in front of the airport. As long as the mothers at Friday’s nurse-in do not carry picket signs or block people from coming or going, they are within their rights to gather inside the terminal.

Good luck on Friday, ladies! You are to be commended for your persistence and dedication.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

As I said, most of the press has been extremely positive. I’ve seen just a bit of backlash from letters to the editors of newspapers covering the story, and a lot of heated debate on news message boards.

Overall I think the nurse-in and subsequent media coverage reflected positively on a woman’s ability to nurse in public. Certainly women airline passengers can now breastfeed confidently, with or without covering up, and not have to worry about being harassed by airline flight attendants. I think the intense coverage of the issue will also make business owners in other industries think twice about asking a nursing mother to cover up. They just might realize they’d better watch out or they too will have 900 lactivists speaking out against their ignorance!

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3