Cover to breastfeed in order to "ensure that passengers of all backgrounds feel comfortable on board". This is how the Dutch airline KLM replied on Twitter to a woman's question about the company's policy towards breastfeeding.
Interestingly, two days before this response another Californian mother denounced the same airline on social networks, after living an awkward episode aboard an airplane when a flight attendant told her to cover herself if she wanted to breastfeed. User reviews have not been long in coming.
"We could ask the mother to cover herself to breastfeed"
Breastfeeding is permitted at KLM flights. However, to ensure that all our passengers of all backgrounds feel comfortable on board, we may request a mother to cover herself while breastfeeding, should other passengers be offended by this.
- Royal Dutch Airlines (@KLM) July 16, 2019
"Breastfeeding is allowed on KLM flights. However, to ensure that all our passengers of all backgrounds feel comfortable on board, We can request that the mother be covered while breastfeeding, in case other passengers are offended by it. "
In Babies and more A mother says she was expelled from an airplane without receiving explanations for wanting to breastfeed her sonWith this blunt message the KLM airline responded to a woman's question about the company's breastfeeding policy. Logically, the criticism of Twitter users did not wait, starting with the mother who had raised the doubt:
AdvertisingDo you think it's acceptable to ask a mother to cover her child while feeding? Why would breastfeeding cause anyone to "feel offended"? I'm very curious to know how feeding a child could be viewed as offensive?
- Heather Yemm (@HeatherYemm) July 16, 2019
"Do you think it is acceptable to ask a mother to cover her child while she is feeding? Why would breastfeeding make someone" feel offended "? I am very curious to know how feeding a baby could be considered offensive".
Other users supported the mother by denouncing the archaic policy of the airline, and urging those responsible for the company to reconsider the natural fact of breastfeeding a baby, something that in no case should be considered offensive or worthy of hiding.
Please explain why all passengers are to be comfortable except for the feeding mother and baby. If a passenger is uncomfortable with breastfeeding, why can they not be moved or cover themselves? Shame on KLM! I will never fly with you again.
- Euro Amy (@amyworldalive) July 18, 2019
"Explain why all passengers should feel comfortable, except for the mother and the baby being fed. If a passenger did not feel comfortable with breastfeeding, why not ask him to cover himself or change his place? What a shame KLM! I will never fly with you again. "
This is outrageous, KLM. I know you're trying to be fair, but this is not the way to do it. You're pandering to those who would control women's behavior, prioritizing their feelings over the process of nurturing an infant.
- Paul Milnes (@nonklatink) July 18, 2019
"This is outrageous, KLM. It's not the way to be fair. You they are pleasing those who want to control women's behavior, prioritizing their feelings about raising a baby. "
You need to change your perspective @KLM - anyone who claims to be 'offended' by breastfeeding is sexualising the mother's breast. Don't pander to the creeps - tell them to look at something else and mind their own damn business.
- Cáit O'Riordan (@rockyoriordan) July 18, 2019
"You need to change your perspective, KLM. Anyone who claims to be "offended" by breastfeeding is sexualizing the mother's breast. Do not be fooled by such people and tell them they should look the other way and take care of their own affairs. "
How dare you "permit" breastfeeding, no mother should have to seek permission to feed their child. I don't have a child, so I have no idea how challenging it might be to fly with a baby and breastfeed on a flight but I'm ashamed to have to fly with you tomorrow with such comments
- Ellen W. Evans (@Research_Ellen) July 18, 2019
How dare they "allow" breastfeeding? No mother should have to ask permission to feed her children. I don't have children, so I can't imagine how difficult it can be to fly with a baby and have to breastfeed him on the flight, but I would be ashamed to have to fly with you in the future, with such a comment. "
In Babies and more When someone bothers to see you breastfeed in public, show that the offended is youBefore the flood of criticisms received, The company continued publishing new messages in order to soften the tension generated. But far from rectifying its position, the airline's comments continued in the same direction, and user complaints were also increasing.
And we absolutely don't want to make the mums of our youngest passengers feel judged about the most natural thing in the world. That is why our cabin crew may suggest options to the mums to ensure some privacy when feeding their child. <<<
- Royal Dutch Airlines (@KLM) July 19, 2019
"We do not want the mothers of our youngest passengers to feel judged by something that is the most natural thing in the world. That is why our cabin crew could suggest options to moms in order to guarantee some privacy when feeding your children "
What are the options ?? Moving mum to first class? Sleep mask for the "offended" passenger?
- The Cathinator (@cathinator) July 18, 2019
"What would be the options? Change the mother and the baby to first class? A sleep mask for the" offended "passenger?"
Are you bloody serious? You do realize that the problem is the "offended" passenger, right !? Why would a mother feeding her child need to be inconvenienced and shamed? Yet here you are insisting on supporting the creeps that have a problem with this. 🙄
- Chara (@ chara_30) July 18, 2019
"Are you serious? Do you realize that the problem is the" offended "passenger? Why does a mother who feeds her child have to be disturbed and humiliated? However, you continue to insist on supporting those who have a problem with this issue. "
In Babies and more A law is requested to protect breastfeeding in publicThe previous complaint of a Californian mother
Two days before the controversy on Twitter, Shelby Angel, a Californian mother, also denounced the policy of this same airline regarding breastfeeding, after having suffered a awkward situation while breastfeeding your baby on the plane.
According to her account in her Facebook account, last June she flew with her one-year-old daughter on a KLM flight that covered the San Francisco-Amsterdam route. In order to calm her daughter and help her sleep, Shelby started breastfeeding her, but a few minutes later a flight attendant approached her with a blanket and told him that if he wanted to continue breastfeeding he should cover himself.
The mother refused to cover her baby, and the airline staff reproached him that in that case, if any passenger was offended he should solve the problem herself.
"I throw a warning to all nursing mothers: don't fly with KLM! A month ago, I was flying with my one-year-old baby on a KLM flight from San Francisco to Amsterdam. It was the third flight I did with my little girl. I was breastfeeding her, because her breast calms her, helps her sleep and makes her feel comfortable, but my daughter does not like to eat covered, and although I do my best to breastfeed discreetly, my baby does not it always makes it easy for me. "
"Then a flight attendant appeared with a blanket, and he said verbatim:" If you want to continue breastfeeding, you have to cover yourself. "I refused because my daughter does not like to be covered. I think that would irritate her almost as much as not being able to breastfeed. Then, the flight attendant warned me that if someone complained it would be my problem, and as such I should solve it. "
"No one complained. Actually, No one has ever complained on any of the flights I have made with my baby, except this hostess. I was tremendously uncomfortable and felt that I had been disrespected. When we got home I reported the facts to the company, but they told me that their mission was to respect the passengers of all cultures, and that the flight attendant's response was in line with the company's policy. "
"So instead of defending and protecting breastfeeding and babies, they coerce us when traveling with our nursing children. I consider that KLM has outdated values, which makes women ashamed of our bodies."
"It has taken me time to write these lines, because I had never received such a harsh criticism about the kind of parenting I carry out with my daughter. Therefore, I hope that people who have to fly with their nursing babies do so on board an airline that respects their bodily autonomy and their right to take care of their children as they see fit. "
Cover a baby while feeding? Seriously?
It seems incredible that in the 21st century there are still people who find it inappropriate for a mother to breastfeed her baby in public. But, unfortunately it continues to happen, and it is not the first time we echo similar stories.
There are few cases that we have known of mothers who are expelled from public places like restaurants, swimming pools or planes for breastfeeding your babies. Or, like this case, mothers who are asked to cover themselves while they are breastfeeding.
In Babies and more # MisTetasNoSonTu Subject: Verdeliss' initiative to normalize breastfeeding in public No one would like to eat under a blanket or with a covered face, so: why is the mother and baby asked to do so? What is improper or obscene in breastfeeding?Judging by the comments that have been raised on Twitter following this issue, there are still those who support the airline's policy (although fortunately, they are very few). And there are people who continue to consider ugly, inappropriate or provocative the fact that a mother breastfeeds her baby when and where necessary.
But the truth is that breastfeeding should be protected by everyone, and mothers should never feel humiliated or bewildered for breastfeeding their babies in public. In addition, and above any opinion, the welfare of the child, his diet and his rest should prevail.
Undoubtedly, the problem is the offended person and the eyes with which he sees an act of love as pure, necessary and natural as breastfeeding.
