Rachel Popplewell Forced by TSA to Dump Breastmilk
"Airport security agents in Las Vegas on Friday banned rachel Popplewell of Capistrano Beach from bringing her breast milk on a flight to Orange County because she didn't have her baby with her."
This incident has many mothers and breast-feeding advocates crying foul.
I am currently breastfeeding and have travelled twice (and will again in a week) with my baby. And I also do have some complaints about TSA and the never-ending changes in their policy. However…
TSA has, for a long time now, made it clear that passengers are only allowed to bring baby formula and breast milk (in their hand-carried bags) if a baby or small child is traveling. Sure, some may find this rule stupid but it is still a rule which we need to follow.
Why did it suddenly become an anti-breastfeeding accusation? Sure, the concerned TSA staff was perhaps a bit over zealous but we need not jump to conclusions and generalize.
Rachel Popplewell was not traveling with her child. And she intend to give the milk that she pumped to her child. Can she not have placed the milk inside her checked-in luggage?
As for wasting the milk… I have breastfed my oldest son even after I returned to work (and I plan on doing the same with my now 5-month old baby). From my experience, there were times when I needed to pump AND DUMP just to make sure that my milk supply didn't go low. And whenever I was separated from my child, I planned in advance and made sure that I have expressed milk which should be enough to feed him during my absence. And, again, while I was away, I pumped and dumped. So, I do not get all that drama about having to dump the milk.
As for the TSA… much as we hate their security policies, we cannot just disregard it.
My two cents.
I am sure many disagree with me. Let me know…
February 8th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Ouch! My wife breast fed for a few months after returning to work. She pumped on breaks, and even on her way to work. (Not the brightest idea IMO, but she did). I understand how hard it is to come by, and to have the airlines force her to dump it would have sent me right through the roof!
February 14th, 2007 at 2:07 am
First things first…How old is she anyway? I guess 50 and over should be able to save there milk! Otherwise she is just a complaining woman who needs more to do in her life. I had to throw away my lipgloss you don’t see me crying about it. Hell breastmilk is free. Lipgloss costs!
May 11th, 2007 at 10:03 am
I find it quite odd that in a world with such strong upholders of human rights things like this occur. Not to mention how stupid the regulation seems. Was her baby supposed to stay hungry for all the time she was away just because someone was stupid enough to prevent breastfeeding mothers to carry their baby’s milk on an airplane.