Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Parenting › Family Safety › Safety while breastfeeding and riding in the car?
New Posts  All Forums:
 

Safety while breastfeeding and riding in the car?

post #1 of 143
6/4/08 at 2:42pm
Thread Starter 
I have seen many people talk about how they can breastfeed a child, while the child is in a car seat, and the mom is "safely buckled in" to their own seat and riding (not driving) in the car (presumably in the back seat next to the child).

I have a hard time picturing how this can be safe. I thought maybe people who hang around in this forum might have an informed opinion, or access to an expert opinion on this subject.

Is this possible? If so, would you please provide specific instructions for how it might be done?
Sponsored Links
post #2 of 143
6/4/08 at 2:44pm
No idea. We just park the car and take them out of thier seats!
post #3 of 143
6/4/08 at 3:08pm
On long car rides to the in-laws (4.5 hours with no stops) we had initially just stopped to nurse. That worked for a few months, and then what would happen is that as soon as she got out of her seat, she didn't want to nurse anymore. She just wanted to play. So back in the seat and resume screaming. We weren't going to do the "leaning over the seat and nurse" thing, but we didn't know what else could be done. Stopping didnt work. Continuing to drive while she screamed was not an option. Forward facing didn't help either, nor did we like doing that... So, this is what we did. I sat on my feet with the lap belt on. For us, it was the lesser of all evils.
post #4 of 143
6/4/08 at 3:17pm
It's not safe-- you'd crush your baby in a wreck.
That said, I've been guilty of it before. I've also pumped in the car on long trips and given the baby a bottle or sippy of EBM. And I've also stopped to nurse.
After 6 mos. I'm a big fan of water and snacks for the car.
post #5 of 143
6/4/08 at 3:23pm
It's not safe, but I've done it too. heck, the seat I have to sit in it to do it has the most ridiculous seat belt that my long torsos, 5'7" isn't even tall enough to sit there without getting tangled in the darn seatbelt (sorry, I'm mad at my seatbelt atm).
post #6 of 143
6/4/08 at 3:29pm
It seems to defeat the purpose of the carseat to me, to put the weight of your chest/torso directly in front of the child's head while the car is in motion. Definitely would not do it.
post #7 of 143
6/4/08 at 3:41pm
I did this with my first baby- I didn't have shoulder belts in the back, so I'd have my lap belt on and bend over the infant carseat while she was strapped in.

I didn't do it with my 2nd baby because the back seat was too crowded with 2 carseats, and in any case it wasn't needed because she had her sister to entertain and distract her while we drove anywhere.

By the time DS was born, I learned how dangerous this was. The carseat is designed to protect 22 lbs or so of baby in a collision- not 22 lbs of baby plus 175 lbs of mama!

It's far safer to pump in the car and then give the baby a bottle or sippy cup of pumped milk- the bottle is a LOT lighter than mama!

Smalls- did you try stopping the car, keeping baby in the carseat and nursing her without taking her out of the seat, but while the car was not in motion?
post #8 of 143
6/4/08 at 3:47pm
I tried to do this once on a long road trip and it absolutely didn't work, even with me taking my seat belt off to do it, which I know wasn't safe. I was also guilty of nursing her in the back while dh continued to drive.

He's a bit of a nut when it comes to wanting to get where he's going with minimal stops. With the next one, this will not be happening.
post #9 of 143
6/4/08 at 3:47pm
It's NOT safe...for the mom or the baby.
post #10 of 143
6/4/08 at 4:19pm
What we used to do was have me in the back seat, strapped in and then put baby in a ring sling to nurse. So baby is actually strapped pretty tight. This arrangement averted many accidents for us as DH is not a good driver with crying babies!! If you have large boobs (I don't!), then nursing in the carseat may work - I tried it and had about a foot left between my boob and babies mouth though! If you have larger boobs than AA cup, you may have more success
post #11 of 143
6/4/08 at 4:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by roxyrox View Post
What we used to do was have me in the back seat, strapped in and then put baby in a ring sling to nurse. So baby is actually strapped pretty tight. This arrangement averted many accidents for us as DH is not a good driver with crying babies!! If you have large boobs (I don't!), then nursing in the carseat may work - I tried it and had about a foot left between my boob and babies mouth though! If you have larger boobs than AA cup, you may have more success
OMG, please NEVER, EVER, EVER do that again.


In an accident your baby would be your airbag. You would kill your baby.
post #12 of 143
6/4/08 at 5:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ThreeBeans View Post
OMG, please NEVER, EVER, EVER do that again.


In an accident your baby would be your airbag. You would kill your baby.
Oh for gd sake! An airbag would be coming from the opposite direction. If I am strapped in, and baby is strapped in over my seat belt, in the back seat, it is not remotely like an airbag.

I can assure you, my baby was a lot safer like that than screaming in his carseat (physically and emotionally)
post #13 of 143
6/4/08 at 5:23pm
No, you are not understanding. The baby would BE your airbag. As your body mass was thrown forward, your baby would be pinned between your chest and whatever else was there (the seat in front of you, your lap, etc).

Let's say you're a 120 pound woman and you were in a 30 mph crash. That would be THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED pounds of force on your baby should there be an impact.

Your baby was not safer than in a car seat. Your baby would have been killed in a low speed impact (and you would probably have been criminally charged).
post #14 of 143
6/4/08 at 5:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by roxyrox View Post
What we used to do was have me in the back seat, strapped in and then put baby in a ring sling to nurse. So baby is actually strapped pretty tight. This arrangement averted many accidents for us as DH is not a good driver with crying babies!! If you have large boobs (I don't!), then nursing in the carseat may work - I tried it and had about a foot left between my boob and babies mouth though! If you have larger boobs than AA cup, you may have more success
I would never ever recommend anyone do this! There is never ever an instance when this action would be acceptable.

You can always pull over if it is really necessary to feed your baby on a road trip.

Have you seen crash test videos?
post #15 of 143
6/4/08 at 5:28pm
I agree that baby should never, ever be removed from car seat while in car. I also see that my not wearing a shoulder strap, which I can't do while nursing, is not as safe as wearing it. But if I am buckled in, and leaning forward slightly so that baby can (just barely, mind you) reach my breast, I really fail to see how the baby's carseat is in any way whatsoever supporting my weight. In an accident I would be yanked back to my seat because of the seatbelt I am wearing. Am I missing something?
post #16 of 143
6/4/08 at 5:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmmom View Post
I agree that baby should never, ever be removed from car seat while in car. I also see that my not wearing a shoulder strap, which I can't do while nursing, is not as safe as wearing it. But if I am buckled in, and leaning forward slightly so that baby can (just barely, mind you) reach my breast, I really fail to see how the baby's carseat is in any way whatsoever supporting my weight. In an accident I would be yanked back to my seat because of the seatbelt I am wearing. Am I missing something?
Sure


I'm sure you've read about how maturity is important for booster users, that they need to know to sit properly and upright. The reason for this is, the belt is desinged to function at a particular place on the shoulder and chest and the lap belt is designed to rest low on the pelvis or the thighs. Wiggling around or shifting dramatically alters what will happen to your body in a crash.

It could be as minor as some nasty bruises and whiplash, or it could be as severe as a spinal injury or internal abdominal hemmorhage.

Also, very few rear seat belts actually 'retract' when they lock in an emergency situation. They just lock where they happen to be. If you're leaning out of position, that's *that* much more slack that will allow you to whip around like a rag doll or even be ejected from your belt.
post #17 of 143
6/4/08 at 5:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ThreeBeans View Post
No, you are not understanding. The baby would BE your airbag. As your body mass was thrown forward, your baby would be pinned between your chest and whatever else was there (the seat in front of you, your lap, etc).

Let's say you're a 120 pound woman and you were in a 30 mph crash. That would be THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED pounds of force on your baby should there be an impact.

Your baby was not safer than in a car seat. Your baby would have been killed in a low speed impact (and you would probably have been criminally charged).
No,it wouldn't be like that though - I was strapped in, therefore my seatbelt would take the impact of the crash - then as ds was strapped to me over the seatbelt, he would be pulled back as well after me. He would be thrown forward at exactly the same rate as me in the event of a crash. I have had a carseat tech here, and a fireman at a car seat day tell me this is ok, so I am not too worried, but thank you for your concern. We are in different countries so I can undersatand you have a different view. I think Americans have different ideas of safety than Europeans, maybe we have something to learn off you. I am intrigued by RF till toddler age -I think with my next child, I will buy a US carseat. You can't RF past one here.
post #18 of 143
6/4/08 at 5:44pm
Roxy, it would be like that. We have dozens and dozens of crash tests that illustrate it.

I don't know WHO told you it was safe, but it definitely was not a technician.



I can't tell you how much I'm trying to emphasize, this is DEADLY. This isn't an iffy situation. This isn't "put my 40 pound 4 year old in a harnessed seat or put him in a booster". This isn't, "Should I put my 30 pound 2 year old rear facing or forward facing." It isn't even "Can I put my boostered 10 year old in the front seat?"

It's...in an accident, that would kill your baby. Not injure. Not bruise a little. Kill your baby. And it would be your body that would do it.

It isn't worth it, is it?
post #19 of 143
6/4/08 at 5:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ThreeBeans View Post
Sure


I'm sure you've read about how maturity is important for booster users, that they need to know to sit properly and upright. The reason for this is, the belt is desinged to function at a particular place on the shoulder and chest and the lap belt is designed to rest low on the pelvis or the thighs. Wiggling around or shifting dramatically alters what will happen to your body in a crash.

It could be as minor as some nasty bruises and whiplash, or it could be as severe as a spinal injury or internal abdominal hemmorhage.

Also, very few rear seat belts actually 'retract' when they lock in an emergency situation. They just lock where they happen to be. If you're leaning out of position, that's *that* much more slack that will allow you to whip around like a rag doll or even be ejected from your belt.
My back seat has a shoulder belt and I can nurse DS without leaning much. I guess my question is how is that different than a person who is say leaning on the arm rest in the front passenger seat? I don't know many adults who actually sit in one place in their seat the entire drive.
post #20 of 143
6/4/08 at 5:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lyttlewon View Post
My back seat has a shoulder belt and I can nurse DS without leaning much. I guess my question is how is that different than a person who is say leaning on the arm rest in the front passenger seat? I don't know many adults who actually sit in one place in their seat the entire drive.
Well, you don't need to sit without budging, but for optimal safety, you should be upright, with your tush and back as far back in the seat as you can go and your feet planted on the floor.

The two things that you should pay most attention to are making sure the lap belt as drawn tightly under your belly, across your pelvis, and that the shoulder belt rests snugly between your neck and shoulder and crosses your chest in the center, without sliding off your shoulder or coming up against your throat.
New Posts  All Forums:
 
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Family Safety
Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Parenting › Family Safety › Safety while breastfeeding and riding in the car?