Airport Nurse-In

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

22 Nov 2006 09:30 PM

In a previous blog I wrote about Emily Gillette, a New Mexico mother who was ordered off a flight departing from Burlington, Vermont to New York City because she refused to use a blanket to cover her baby while she was breast feeding. In a show of support for the idea of breast feeding in mid-air, scores of mothers breast-fed their babies at airports around the country yesterday.

Organizers of the nationwide nurse-in said their goal was to raise awareness about breast feeding and "the fact that it needs to be supported wherever and whenever it happens."

One day before the busiest travel day of the year dozens of moms made their presence felt at various airports (including ones in Boston, Las Vegas, Nashville, Hartford, Columbus, Louisville, and Albuquerue) carrying signs with slogans which read: "Best in-flight meal ever," "Got breast milk?" and "Don't be lactose intolerant." The women reportedly placed themselves near ticket counters in a peaceful -- but not-so-quiet -- demonstration.

The national nurse-in was applauded by Gillette (who joined about 30 women, children and fathers at the Albuquerque airport). She says she still can't believe that a flight attendant asked her to cover up while she was breast-feeding her year-old daughter. Gillette had been sitting on the New York-bound plane --which was three hours late in leaving -- when she began nursing. The flight attendant handed her a blanket, but she refused it. She was removed from the plane along with her husband and child.

Last week, the airline disciplined the unidentified employee, but that didn't stop organizers from encouraging moms to attend nurse-ins at their local airports.

"It's a basic human thing that we are doing and we should be able to do it in public without being kicked off planes, without being told to sit in bathrooms," said one mother who participated in a local airport demonstration along with her 10-month-old daughter.

According to news reports, nearly 50 breast feeding mothers swarmed the Delta gates at Portland, Oregon's airport yesterday, while more than two dozen women took part in the nurse-in at an airport in Columbus, Ohio.

Were you traveling yesterday? Did you notice the demonstrators? Do you agree with their message?

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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