A parenting influencer recently sparked debate on TikTok after sharing a travel hack in which she created a makeshift hammock for her baby during a flight. The video, while creative, left many viewers questioning its safety.
Natália Figueira, a mother of one, was traveling from Brazil to Florida when she devised a controversial method to keep her daughter secure on the plane. In a video posted to her TikTok account, Natália showcased her homemade solution, captioning the clip, “POV: you improvised a hammock so your baby could stay comfortable on the plane.”
The footage showed her gently rocking her daughter in the improvised hammock, which was fashioned from a blanket tied to the plane’s tray tables. “Pure improvisation!” she wrote in the caption. “We used the blanket they give you on the plane, tied it to the trays on both sides, put the pillow in, and voilà!” She concluded her post with, “A real lifesaver, right? Maria loved it!”
However, the viral video, which garnered over a million views before being deleted, quickly drew criticism from concerned followers.
One commenter warned, “Dangerous!” while another urged, “Don’t do it!” A third critic noted, “Your baby is going to crack their head on the ceiling if you experience unexpected turbulence.” Another user added, “If the plane crashes, she may end up getting hurt.”
In response to the backlash, Natália released a statement addressing the concerns. “We put her inside, she played a little, but we know that children don’t stay still,” she told Newsflash. “It was when we recorded the video that was posted that she wanted to get out. We know that a child won’t spend hours on a flight in peace. So, as not to disturb the other passengers, we bring several distractions.”
