Feeding on the move

[bumblemum]

Hi ladies,

I'm about to go for a holiday in Spain with my husbands family.  Now dreading it but that's another story!

We will be driving to the ferry and my lo will need feeding at some point. Solid and BF'ing.

My MIL has asked about feeding whilst driving. I instinctively thought it might be a bit dodgy. My lo has only been on solids for 4 weeks and I thought feeding whilst moving in the car might be a bit dangerous - choking etc.

Am I being overly cautious?

My mum thinks we should stop the car to feed her. My husband thinks we should feed on the go (and doesn't want to inconvenience his family with an additional stop).

I think this will just be the first of many disagreements on this holiday and I want to just hide under the bed rather than go.


What have you done and how should I handle?

Thanks

C x

[Lolly]

I would leave extra time to get to the ferry if you can and stop to feed - she will probably need a break from the car anyway. I wouldn't feed on the move, especially if she is new to it all. You may find that she isn't so hungry travelling and if she has her normal BF then that will do her until you do stop.

 We have just had a family holiday in Scotland with my parents - we drove from Wales with a stop over so although my two are older than yours, if they needed to stop then we did.

Stick to your guns though - and get them to make allowances for her!

Laura

[fiona1274]

I would say that you do not need the extra stress of trying to feed on the move. Be selfish on the behalf of there granchild and tell them they will need to stop so you can feed. It is unfair to expect you LO to have to rush or be swpet under the carpet. I agree with Laura though that an extra BF would probably tide your LO over when you are at the early stages, but still not fair to expect you to do this on the move!! Hope you have a nice holiday, wihtout too much stress, I wouldn't go away with my MIL for love nor money!!

[~inbalance~]

I would try and stop as well.  You will all want a break to get out and stretch your legs anyway, and it's good to stop frequently with an LO.  Eating aside, it's hard for them to sit in that chair for long periods of time!  And yes, feeding on the go will be more stressful.  Take extra time and stop as much as you need to. 

[Shiv52]

I'd add extra time to stop and feed as well.   I'd be concerned if you give in on this you'll be doing it the whole holiday too and they'll expect you just to feed on the move the whole time.  Best let them realise you'll be putting LO first.  Strange that they would expect you to feed on the move. 

Anytime we've been going anywhere i always stop to feed.  I remember going on a long journey with my LO when she about 4-5 months and telling my dad to pull over on the way as i needed to feed and it didn't even cross my mind that it would be an issue!    They are babies for goodness sake, they come first! 

I would use the old 'oh I asked the GP/health visitor and they said you shouldn't feed a baby who has only started solids in a moving car incase of choking and its illegal for them to be out of their car seat for a bf if the car is moving at all so they said their advice is to stop for all and any feeds'.  Sometimes people take advice like that easier and it puts the blame on someone else, not just you deciding this is what you want! 

[bumblemum]

Thanks ladies! I knew I get some excellent suggestions from you lot.

My MIL only asked for my opinion about feeding on the move but I'm assuming if she asked then she'd thought it was probably OK.

My hubby thought it would be fine but he told me I should ask for your ladies opinion - so I'm very glad you all agree with me!

First hurdle overcome - give me the strength to deal with maintaning bt's and sticking roughly with our routine. Although my lo has decided to completely change things just before we leave so maybe I will have to  ditch everything!!

Thanks again

C