Delta: YOU SUCK

Recently, one of my fellow natural parenting group mamas from Fayetteville had a horrendous experience on a Delta flight from Indiana back to NC. I'll post her story:

"I just got back last night from a small trip to see family in Indiana. I'd like to share what happened on the plane coming home. I boarded with my 8 month old, Nash and my husband. We waited until everyone was on until boarding so Nash woul...d spend less time on the plane. As soon as we got on he wanted to nurse and started fussing. I, like i always do, obliged and as discreetly as possible began nursing while my husband stowed away our carry-on(i was by the window and Nash was on my right side, not that it makes a difference). The stewardess then walked up and loudly told me i needed to cover up. I was shocked because i breastfeed on demand anywhere and everywhere and no one has ever said anything about it. I told her i would but i also told her that her telling me to do it was illegal. she said "no its not". I said "yes, actually it is" and my husband concurred. She then turned around towards the front of the cabin and loudly declares "This lady back here is trying to tell me its illegal for telling her to cover her NIPPLE while breastfeeding." At this point i'm shaking. i am extremely shy and non-confrontational. but i do know my rights. My husband quickly pulled up the law on his iphone and when she came back he offered to show her. She told us that Delta makes the rules and she would not look at the phone. She told me there is something called modesty! I went on a small tangent about how breastfeeding is natural, the healthiest thing for baby, and most of all NORMAL. She then said if we wanted to make it an issue we did not need to stay on the plane. We had not taken off yet and my hubby and i did not want to be kicked off so we let it go for then. During the flight she brought a packet of paper to the passengers behind us and we heard whispers and assume she was asking them to fill out a witness report of the incident. After the flight we got her ID number and name and will be filing our own claim against her. I was just shocked that no other mamas on the plane offered any help or even turned in our direction. :( Sorry this is so long i just still shake when describing what happened. I'm ashamed to say I was brought to tears after she walked away just from the embarrassment and lack of support from other women around me. She told us she had been doing this job for 8 years and it just makes me wonder how many other new mamas did she shame for breastfeeding their babies?"

To me, this is completely unacceptable. The flight attendant not only told her to cover herself, but proceeded to announce to the whole flight what the breastfeeding mama was doing as well as demean her in public. The attendant even went as far as to make comments that alluded that the attendant could have them taken off the plane. To me, demeaning a passenger and publically announcing whatever it is they are doing that you don't approve of is NEVER appropriate, much less for breastfeeding, which is a law protected act in many states, as well as the most natural way to feed a baby.

I'm not sure if delta understands the importance of breastfeeding a baby and the fact that nipples, in fact, do NOT show during feeding, but I think it's time that they educate their attendants on how they should speak to breastfeeding mamas, which is NOT AT ALL.

Apparently, this isn't even the first time Delta has treated a breastfeeding mama harshly.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15720339/ns/travel-news/t/woman-kicked-plane-breast-feeding-baby/#.TklOYmHU7D4 

That is a story from 2006 where mama was kicked off the plane.

Because of the way my breastfeeding friends have been treated, I will not ever be a patron of Delta again and I will see to it that my friends and family are not as well.

This is deplorable and should not be tolerated.

If you're reading this, do not fly Delta until they make serious changes to their policies (or lack of policies) for breastfed moms and babies!