# A Question About Breastfeeding And Distractions. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 7, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-breastfeeding-and-distractions/193575 "2003-08-07T13:13:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-breastfeeding-and-distractions/193575/21 "2003-08-07T16:08:58Z")
Oh, and I didn’t know this because I was planning on doing it. My son turns five this fall and my daughter turns four and I was looking for information on getting them to the airport in a cab. As it turns out, cabs are like schoolbuses, you can stick any person on their unrestrained in Minnesota. ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-breastfeeding-and-distractions/193575/22 "2003-08-07T16:16:00Z")
I agree that it’s not that it’s mentally stimulating. Sometimes it’s quite engaging, others (like the middle of the night) it’s just sort of sleepwalking. However, I think it’s appalling to do something so risky as to breast feed while being the person actually driving the car. There is too much going on in your body and in supporting your babies body. In my opinion while breast feeding may not need your undivided attention at all times, _ **driving does.** _ > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dangerosa \* > One of the things about breastfeeding is that while you do it, hormones are released that make you kind of post orgasmic. Sleepy, content, zoned. My girlfriends all agree its a little like being stoned. Not a good state of mind to be driving. \*\* While I do not know what it is to feel a little stoned. I would not have described breast feeding as post orgasmic. My experience is a little more like **Ellen Cherry** ’s: > [@](#): > > When the babies were tiny, I felt incredible waves of love for them as we nursed, so that could be what is being described. \ It becomes a comfort, a time to connect, a time to relax and get ready for sleep. For me nursing a new baby is work. It’s work I want to do and have tremendous emotional investment in, however it takes my attention, patience, energy and time to do successfully. It doesn’t become a time to connect and relax until baby and I have had a lot of practice. It’s not something I would do while walking or driving. On two occassions nurse while a passenger in the car. We stopped long enought to switch to the back seat and get me and baby settled and started. Then continued our lengthy road trip. When baby was satisfied, he went back into the carseat. Another odd thought is that I was always very thirsty when nursing, so in my imagination of events it’s likely she was now and then in addition to everything else, getting a drink. (I know this is wild speculation. I admit that my thoughts are colored by my own experience, but I just cannot imagine nursing scenario without a glass of water, juice or lemonaid. ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-breastfeeding-and-distractions/193575/23 "2003-08-07T16:27:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tlw \* > Unless she was rushing to give an emergency blood transfusion to save someone’s life, there is nowhere she needed to be that she couldn’t have reached ten or twenty minutes later. I doubt a nursing mother would be permitted to donate blood. ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-breastfeeding-and-distractions/193575/24 "2003-08-07T16:38:03Z")
I just called and checked with [Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, Houston Texas](http://www.giveblood.org/). It would depend on the type of birth and length of time from birth. Nursing alone does not prohibit donating however, it is not encouraged. They want you to wait six weeks at least for vaginal delivery with no surgical procedures. I was declined because my sons were born c-section, not because I was nursing apparently. I stand corrected by myself. :o ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-breastfeeding-and-distractions/193575/25 "2003-08-08T18:39:09Z")
She was cleared of the child endangerment. [Breast-feeding driver cleared of major charge](http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2038115) ---
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-breastfeeding-and-distractions/193575/26 "2003-08-08T20:48:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AbbySthrnAccent \* > \*\*She was cleared of the child endangerment. [Breast-feeding driver cleared of major charge](http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2038115) \*\* [soapbox ON] And that’s too damned bad. She deserved a conviction. The OP asked **"does she have a good defense, all other road factors being equal and normal?** Since when does an interstate have equal and normal factors? People routinely drive well over the speed limit, change lanes without signaling, brake without reason. If this crazy mother had gotten in an accident and the air bag deployed while the baby was on her lap, the baby could easily have been crushed. I can’t imagine what was so important that she could not have pulled over for 20 minutes or so. She and her husband BOTH have serious problems. [/soapbox] ---
**Author:** ![tanookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@tanookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanookie)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-breastfeeding-and-distractions/193575/27 "2003-08-08T22:12:19Z")
Got some room on that soapbox for me Knighted Vorpal Sword? I can’t believe you are allowed to drive while breastfeeding and I can’t believe anyone would want to attempt something so dangerous! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-breastfeeding-and-distractions/193575/28 "2003-08-08T22:21:56Z")
So, it’s okay if you’re feeding the baby–DRIVING and feeding the baby–with both hands off the wheel at some points, apparently? But it’s not okay if you just have it in your lap? woo. I’m finding it difficult to imagine the debate that led to that particular piece of legislation. Would it be okay to eat my lunch and let the baby drive for a while? 'Cause you know, nursing mothers need to keep up their strength. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-breastfeeding-and-distractions/193575/29 "2003-08-09T19:42:50Z")
My parents are visiting; I’m not on the Boards much this weekend. I didn’t know the case had been resolved. **Abby** , thank you so much for placing that link in to the thread. 🙂 She admitted under oath that she took both hands off the wheel while using cruise control. With the baby in her lap. -shudder- As for my O.P., can I fairly say that most mothers responding who have nursed, find the activity of nursing to be in the range from soothing, bonding or calming, all the way to soporific/post-orgasmic? None of these are states of mental capacity that should accompany operating a car, IMHO. It does sound as though the Judge was being very cautious and respectful, and at the same time trying to mete out a reasonable sentence. I don’t believe she should lose her child or anything of that ilk, but I get the feeling that she feels no sense of having done anything wrong. That is distressing, to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-breastfeeding-and-distractions/193575.md?page=1)