Breastfeeding drivers a threat?
2012-01-25 08:20
DON'T FEED AND DRIVE: Breastfeeding while driving puts both the mother and baby at risk, yet police in New Zealand report moms regularly feed their babies while behind the wheel.
Wellington, New Zealand - New Zealand police said they were shocked at the number of mothers they found breastfeeding babies while driving along motorways in the country's largest city Auckland.
Police said they stopped three breastfeeding drivers in January 2012 while carrying out a 10-day operation aimed at ensuring children were properly restrained in vehicles.
Inspector Shanan Gray said: "They were each driving a vehicle on the motorway. They were stopped and spoken to."
CHILDREN AT RISK
Gray stressed that the practise placed both mother and child "in an extremely dangerous situation".
"If they had to stop their vehicle suddenly, or they were involved in a serious crash, the infant would surely be ejected from the vehicle," he said.
Gray said police were also stunned at the number of children being transported in car boots (trunks).
He said the number of children found to be at risk during the operation was "extremely disappointing".