Travelling on a Jetstar flight from Brisbane to Townsville on a 6am Monday flight, mother of three Natalie Jane Sawyer was shocked when she was asked to “cover up” by a female staff member while pumping breast milk.
On the airline’s Facebook page after the incident, Sawyer recounted the incident, before suggesting its time the airline look at retraining their staff.
“I was asked by one of your flight crew if I had a cover to cover myself up because people would be coming down the aisle to go to the bathroom,” Sawyer wrote.
Source: Jetstar / Facebook.
"I had a pumping bra on so no part of my boobs could be seen and a shirt covering my pumps.
"I began pumping as soon as all the passengers were seated and was almost finished pumping by the time the seat belt sign was turned off."
The image below, which Sawyer took while on board and pumping, is what airline staff had the problem with. A woman wearing a billowy top, with a hint of what appears to be a very un-sexy boob apparatus peeking out.
It's hardly what you'd call risqué.
Natalie Jane Sawyer's selfie. Source: Facebook
Sawyer, who sounds pretty reasonable given the circumstances, continued, "I personally don't have a problem with pumping in public, when you exclusively pump for 3 kids, you get used to it, but I know some people get a bit weirded out sitting right next to someone pumping so I am considerate."
The photo, Sawyer wrote, had been taken to send to her mum to share her pride at finally being comfortable enough to pump in public, but said that being spoken to as though she was doing "something dirty rather than something normal" by staff made her feel like she should "just go hide in the toilet."
"I think you might need to retrain your staff in my rights as a breastfeeding mother," she wrote.
Want to know five reasons why breastfeeding and pumping breast milk is awesome? Post continues after video... 3:59]
The post appears to have since been deleted, and a Jetstar spokesperson has said that the airline has contacted Sawyer in regards to the incident.
"We'll work with our crew and remind them of our breastfeeding policy to prevent this from happening to other mothers," the spokesperson said.
"We want all mothers to feel welcome and respected when breastfeeding onboard our flights and deeply regret the offence caused by our crew member's remarks."
Top Comments
I highly doubt that this image of her is an exact portrayal
of how she was pumping. If this is a ‘selfie’ of her pumping, she has done a bloody good job at taking the shot with one hand/pump on boob… or perhaps she
used a selfie stick to snap herself while pumping? Normally a selfie shot ends up on some form of an angle, wonky arm. This is perfectly framed. Really, an air hostess asks her to ‘cover up’ …this photo screams rubbish to me! ‘’I took this photo to show my mum I am comfortable pumping in public…’’. Yeah right. For
someone to say something to her she clearly had more hanging out than what is shown in the photo or was simply annoying to the person next to her. This story screams bogan wanting attention if you ask me. There is a difference between being on the beach, in a night club – places where you expect to see a bit of flesh. I have breast fed and am not a prude – but I really don’t enjoy seeing a
big huge milky saggy boob hanging out when I am dining or on a plane or bus. There is also a difference between walking past someone breastfeeding, someone in the food court breast feeding…than being stuck next to some woman pumping on a
flight. Women have a right to pump/breast feed however I do believe there are a lot of attention seeking flips like this that really irritate general public.
And to think the author of this considers herself a writer by reporting/giving
this sort of rubbish the time of day.
Good grief. Get over yourself. I have never once seen any breast feeding mother who is looking for attention. The women who are looking for attention are the ones in night clubs, on the beach or the street who are half dressed, not those feeding their infants where almost nothing can be seen.. Quite frankly there are a lot of women who strut around on the streets with their boobs hanging out, yet the instant an infant is latched onto a breast, people like you freak out.
Sadly, people who are freaked out and irritated are the ones who are staring and oogling rather than minding their own fucking business. Breast feeding is not a spectator sport.
Just because you have never once seen it does not make my point less valid. I have seen it. I never once said I freaked out. I simply said I thought in the moment that the woman could have a bit of discression. I would do the same if it was someone strutting around hanging it all out or a breast feeding mother that perhaps could be a little more discrete. ''Lady, tuck your boob away a bit please'' is not exactly freaking out. You have exaggerated my point.
It's a world gone mad when people are offended by breastfeeding and expressing of milk.
Breastfeeding requires support from partners, families, health professionals and community. Only 25% of women still breastfeed at 6 months and judging by some of the comments below, I can see that support is completely lacking.
Breastfeeding is beneficial for absolutely everyone. You know why? Due to antibodies, breastfed children have fewer and shorter illnesses. Breastfeeding reduces the rate of certain disease like Chrons disease by up to 33%. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of some cancers in women. This means less tax dollars tied up in an already overloaded health system. That's a great thing.
This mother should be congratulated for expressing, not shamed. We happily drink milk expressed from cows, but when a woman tries to express milk to feed her young, it's "uncomfortable".
Well said SS :)