The TV show scene was laugh-worthy, but apparently this situation happens in real life too and it's not such a funny moment for new parents. A baby mix-up at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington County led to another woman breastfeeding Suzanne Libby's newborn and now she is calling out the hospital for the mistake.

Libby told her story to the Washington Post. The day after her child was born in January, she realized he was missing from the nursery at the hospital. After a search of the maternity ward,  her son was discovered in his hospital bassinet in another woman's room. Not only was he hanging out in the room of a stranger, but she had actually breastfed him too.

From the WaPo:

"It was the worst moment of my entire life," Libby said, when she realized her son was missing and nurses didn't know where he was. "On top of that, to find that another mother breast-fed him, without my knowledge, without my consent, was horrid. . . . He was exposed to someone else's body fluid."

So why is it such a big deal? Breast milk is breast milk, right? Wrong. Exposing a baby to another woman's breast milk could put the child at risk of contracting HIV and hepatitis B or C. Nasty.

Libby and her son were lucky. Blood tests showed the stranger was clean. But she's still pissed. How did this happen? A nurse aide failed to match up the baby's bracelet to the mother. And apparently the other mother never noticed her baby changed faces in the nursery. They all look like splotchy aliens anyway, right?

And this isn't a totally random occurrence. Baby mix-ups have happened at least two other times in recent years at Washington-area hospitals, but it didn't turn into breastfeeding mania.

But enough about HIV-laced breast milk. Check out The Office clip:

Photo by maessive, via Flickr.

There are so many reasons this is a good idea – too many to list here. Mostly, it will make everyone who rides the train feel much safer. And despite what some may say, it's not really a problem that the firearm a District-bound Virginia resident boards with in, say, Quantico or Manassas cannot be carried legally in D.C. In fact – and I'm sure you've already thought of this – it's a potential revenue-maker for the state: Set up some kind of gun-checking station at the border, charge a few bucks for eight hours' worth of storage, and tack on a handling fee! Commuters will feel it's worth it to have their guns for a few stops, and they can conveniently pick them back up after a hard day's work.

NBC Washington reported that some members of your board were "less than thrilled with having to make the change" – as required by state law – "partially because many riders will run afoul of the differing rules across jurisdictions, but also because guns plus big crowds equals disaster."

For instance, Chris Zimmerman, an Arlington County supervisor, said, "I think encouraging people to bring guns onto loaded trains is a stupid idea."

That's short-sighted and silly. Bringing guns onto loaded trains is a good idea. Here's to hoping most commuters take advantage of the opportunity. We will all be better for it.

Comments? Ideas? I'm at eniedowski@washingtoncitypaper.com, and on Twitter.