Bitty

On this particular flight, it wasn’t much easier for T but for reasons that will become apparent, I didn’t look across too often.

I know some people have some strong opinions about this.  Pretty much everyone agrees in the beginning though.  It’s only later when they start to disagree.  We did it ourselves for sometime.  Maybe we wish we could have done it for a little longer.  But, you know, all good things must come to an end.  Years later some people still think it’s a beautiful thing.  But I don’t think I know any of them.

The couple on the other side of us had a young daughter too.  Not as young as S, mind.  Young as in six or seven.  That’s still pretty young in so many ways.  But it is quite old in others.  You’d think she wouldn’t need quite the same looking after as a baby; that she’d be able to do some things herself.  Like swallowing to stop her ears from popping on take-off and landing.  It seems not.  Seems she needs a little extra something.  A little extra comfort.  A little extra comfort from Mummy.   

When T first tugged my arm, the thing I saw was a woman lifting her top to expose her breast.  Now, I’m as open-minded as the next man about random acts of breast showing.  If that’s you’re thing, then go ahead - burn your bra.  I won’t stand in your way.  I might happily stand in front of you; I might equally just watch calmly from a short distance.  But it’s not what you expect on a short haul flight.  We weren’t even a mile high: just twelve feet off the ground.  Still, it was better than watching the safety announcement.

Then it all went wrong.  Horribly, horribly wrong.  The young girl latched on.  And started sucking.  Mummy patted her head gently.  This girl was well into school age.  And there she was.  Sucking.

Now don’t get me wrong: I think breast-feeding babies is the most natural thing in the world  But this little girl was a long way from being a baby.

The father glared at us.  As though we shouldn’t noticed.  I didn’t look again.  But I could still hear the slurping.

Comments

[LondonGirl]

Crikey.

In my opinion, if they're old enough to ask for it, they're too old for breast-feeding.

But why coes the child even want it?

[Carlton]

LondonGirl - I couldn't have put it better myself! It was a very weird and disturbing conversation to overhear. c.