New NTSB Recommendations

[mommypower]

So the NTSB has just issued a statement saying they want the FAA to make it mandatory that babies be strapped into carseats during takeoff, landing and when the fasten seat belt sign is on. I am furious my parents live a 7 hour flight away from me, and as most of us know well one of the things that make it possible to fly that far is that I can nurse for take off and landing, and I can have my daughter in my arms, to sooth her and comfort her and attend to her needs. They won't allow babies to be strapped into carriers either. How do we meet our children's needs when they are making it so difficult. I am very stressed and feeling like if this passes I'm going to be alienated from my family, and not able to visit them anymore.

[PaxMamma]

you will be able to visit them, maybe just not for a few more months or so. can they visit you? the time when the seatbelt light is on is only a smaller portion of the trip, and it's not like you're leaving her. she'll be right there with you and you'll be able to calm her, stroke her face, sing to her, etc. she may do quite well with it. what do you do in the car when she gets upset?

[Ludietomi]

I just wanted to respond to your post because this has always been a difficult issue for me (for my daughter, now 2 and the baby I'm expecting). I flew a lot when my daughter was very young and always nursed her through take off and landing, and any other point in the flight she wanted it. But I always felt a little nervous about her safety. In one of our last flights before she turned 2, I did some research on safety of lap children on flights, and it was not reassuring. Babies can and have been thrown from their parents' arms during minor takeoff/ landing incidents and heavy turbulence. For me, I decided that I needed to put her safety first-- I would never dream of holding her in the car, for example (although I know you generally have the option of pulling over if you need to), and traveling in a plane on a runway at high speeds is a situation I now feel like my daughter should be in a car seat for. I also plan to buy a seat and use a carseat for my next child from infancy. It is a compromise and certainly makes traveling even more difficult (how much worse it can get, I don't know!), but I personally support this direction from the FAA. Now I wish they would back it up by offering discount fares for young children!