[sunshinestarr]

In Dr Sears' Breastfeeding book, he claims that it is possible to breastfeed a baby who is strapped in a carseat, while Mom is also strapped in. I'm wondering if anyone has actually done this. I was with DS for a 2 hour car ride and he would have loved it but I didn't see how it would be possible..

 

[JeDeeLenae]

I've done it before, but not while strapped in. Also, check out your car seat laws in your state. I know in Michigan, a child needs to be strapped in unless he/she is being breastfed.

 

[Braylynnesmom]

We went on a 19 hours car ride straight. She has been on many car rides that long. Normally I would lean over her while she is in her car seat (if it's a short ride and she wants it...but with the 19 hour car ride, I would take her out of her seat and sit her on my lap- feed her and put her back in. She was 20 months during that trip (she's 22 months now). When she was 8 months old we took a 15 hour car ride and I did the same. But we were in a huge van, more like a motorhome, so I felt safer feeding her on my lap... I try to encourage her to stay in her car seat and try to feed her while she's in there...but my father (who drives for a majority of the trips we take as a family) can't stand her crying, so every little bit of crying he says "Give that girl your breast!" ... I really don't know what the laws are... It's amazing what you will see if you pay attention. I've seen babies sitting on there parents lap in the front seats of cars while driving down a main highway!

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

 

[Pen]

I do it all the time. I sit in the backseat and lean forward. I am an A cup. My DD wants to nurse every twenty minute or so.

If you want specifics? I don't know how exactly, I don't have to losen her belt, but I do, as I said, lean forward in mine and over to the right or the left depending on which side I'm sitting.

There was a thread on here not too long ago. I think the general idea was that it was bad and that babies are killed because of it. I don't agree but you might find some additional information through a search here.

 

[LittlePeanut]

I've done it several times. I am not well endowed in that department either so it's a stretch but possible. TBH I can't imagine "unstrapping" DS to BF him while driving no matter what the laws state. It just doesn't sound safe no matter the vehicle/driver/laws and I would just prefer to pull over into a safe place and BF while parked!

LP

 

[Tine]

I do it, and I'm very small-breasted. DD hates the carseat, so it's often the only way I can settle her down.

I do not think it's safe (regardless of the law) to take baby out of the carseat or to unbelt myself. I never do the former, and rarely do the latter.

 

[OneHappyMama69]

DS was also a carseat hater in the earlier months, and many, many times I've leaned over the carseat to nurse him and calm him down. It's not easy or comfortable, but sometimes it just has to be done!

 

[sunshinestarr]

Wow, lots of interesting replies. I guess that I should have added that DS is 3 weeks old.. Maybe it was impossible for me because he's so little..
I don't think that either DS or myself unstrapping would be a safe idea.. JMO..

Quote:

"Give that girl your breast!"

for Grampa!!

 

[Daisie125]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeDeeLenae I've done it before, but not while strapped in. Also, check out your car seat laws in your state. I know in Michigan, a child needs to be strapped in unless he/she is being breastfed.

WHA?! You mean it's actually legal here in MI to be in a moving car with a baby out of it's seat?!

Looks like I've got some letters to write. I'm all for the rights of BFing moms, but not above saftey!

 

[mezzaluna]

i think the danger is that the mom usually needs to unstrap her seatbelt to do this - certainly if she has a shoulder strap - and that in an impact her body would be thrown directly forward onto the baby.

that said, i've done it when i thought the risks of driving with a screaming baby were worse than this remote risk or the risk of pulling over immediately. but this is why i ended up offering a pacifier pretty much only in the car. he only used it for a couple months.

 

[JeDeeLenae]

Just to be clear, I wasn't implying that I've ever done that, or that it's safe to do it, but trying to say it's amazing what you can find if you look in those laws. (I lost my train of thought earlier.)

 

[bobandjess99]

Oh my GOD!
I went and looked up the law, intending to prove you wrong...and you're RIGHT!
there *IS* an exemption for a child being nursed!
AAAACCCCKKKKK!!!

Sigh, not only is MI generally lax in the seat belt law area (only required through age 3 to be in carseat, than in seat belt until age 16......no booster law yet, so FOUR year olds can sit in the front seat in an adult seat belt. *gggrrr**)
But this particular exemption is crazy....not that i am against nursing, mind you, and i will admit that being able to just hopld her and nirse while in the car would sure as heck save me a buttload of headache, but who in their right mind would take an infant out of a carseat for any reason, even to nurse?
And I'm not even a huge carseat advoicate, but this is just crazy!

 

[LianneM]

I nurse in the car all the time - he in the carseat and I keep mine on too, with the shoulder strap.

 

[3daughters]

BTDT! I'm barely a C cup so I did have to tip dd's carseat towards me a little. I'm not sure that that is the safest but its certainly better than unstrapping her and holding her in my lap.

If I'm not mistaken Dr. Sears says that his wife took one of their babies out to nurse and then they had a car accident a few minutes after they returned the baby to the carseat. They learned their lesson.

There was a story in Israel of a father who fell asleep at the wheel while his wife was breatfeeding the baby in the back seat out of the carseat. The baby was thrown from the car and killed.

ETA: In some states its OK to wear a baby in a baby carrier in a moving car instead of using a carseat.

 

[mamabear&babybear]

I used to do it all the time. I kept my belt on and leaned forward. I am a D size cup, but I am short. I generally had to sit on one of my feet. I felt better keeping her in the seat rather than taking her out. It does get easier as the baby grows.

 

[ellymay]

I've done it but not while straped in I guess I could but I have never really tried.

 

[elmh23]

I've done it, but only on a long trip out in the middle of no where and we were the only car on the road. My dd was in a rear-facing Roundabout, so the hardest part was getting me up around her head, lol. Not very safe, but do-able.

 

[thepeach80]

No matter how you do it, it's not safe. A seatbelt is designed to work w/ you sitting the proper position in the car, it's not doing all that much good (except to keep you from becoming a projectile object) if you are leaning over your baby. It is sad what archaic rules you can find for states in the carseat/seatbelt area, VERY sad. Also, if you can tilt your child's carseat towards you, they are not in correctly and are not safe.

 

[jul511riv]

yeap, I did that.

Seat should be rear facing at that age and you can sit right next. If you don't have a shoulder strap on you, you should be able to lean forward (loosen your lap strap) and give baby breast.

Of course, I DO think it is okay for mom to be out of seatbealt to nurse baby. I am one of those people who believes that its safer to do that than to drive in a car with a screaming baby. Also, I never put baby in carseat at that age. I always kept her in a carrier. Sorry, that was just me. The carseat didn't look safe or comfortable for my baby. That was me and my decision. I felt safer wearing her in a sling while having a shoulder and lap belt on. Even worked out the physics of it. Again, she was strapped to ME though.

Whatever. We all gotta do what we feel is the best and ABSOLUTE safest for our kids (and for us). I don't believe that a state law knows what is best for EVERYONE in ALL circumstances.

 

[mothragirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LianneM I nurse in the car all the time - he in the carseat and I keep mine on too, with the shoulder strap.

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