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From “The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding,” 1977 (Source)
You know what they say: when the going gets tough, the tough post about it on Twitter. Kristen Hilderman did. The Canadian mom used a lot more than 140 characters to recount the “wildly offensive” experience she had on a United flight from Houston to Vancouver. Hilderman said that she was sitting beside her husband, breastfeeding her five-month old son as the flight taxied toward the runway. So far, so good, until a flight attendant (identified only as Keith) not only singled her out but threw a blanket at her, presumably so she could cover the baby (and her not-at-all exposed breast) with it.
Hilderman said that Keith stopped beside their row and asked her husband “Are you two together?” When her husband nodded, Keith tossed (“didn’t even hand it TO him, but tossed it AT him,” she wrote) a blanket and said “Then here, help her out.” Hilderman said that she asked Keith repeatedly to explain what he meant, but he continued walking down the aisle without addressing her.
She said that some passengers were quick to voice their support for her, while others pointed out that they hadn’t even realized what she was doing until Keith winged the blanket in her direction.
But the story gets EVEN WORSE. Hilderman’s flight was diverted to Seattle and the passengers were allowed to deplane. When she and her family got back onto the flight, she discovered that Keith had placed a blanket on her seat. Only on her seat. (Where do you nominate someone for award-winning passive-aggressive behavior? Because Keith has this year’s trophy locked down.)
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Jennifer Dohm, a United Airlines spokesperson told CNN
“On our general approach to breast feeding, we welcome nursing mothers on board and we ask that crew members do their best to ensure their comfort and safety as they do with all customers. We also ask nursing mothers and passengers seated near them to be mindful of one another’s space and comfort.”
OK, Hilderman was sitting beside her husband, so I’m sure he was mindful of her comfort, especially when an unwanted blanket was thrown in their direction. But that still seems to call out nursing mothers ever so slightly, politely saying “TRY NOT TO BOTHER ANYONE WITH YOUR BOOBS, LADIES.”
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In her most recent Twitter post, Hilderman said that a United spokesperson named Sara contacted her, but the airline had not followed up beyond that. Hopefully, it’s because they’re all busy making a Powerpoint presentation for Keith called “How Not to Be a Douche.”
