SYDNEY - AN AUSTRALIAN mother allegedly breastfeeding her baby while driving was found to be too drunk take a breath test after almost crashing into a police car, police said on Monday.

The 19-year-old woman was arrested in the central desert town of Alice Springs Saturday night after she drove her station wagon from a hotel car park into the path of a patrol car.

Police pulled her over and allegedly found her breastfeeding her infant son at the wheel, the national AAP news agency reported.

'She failed to blow into the breathalyser, which shows you how drunk she was,' a police spokesman told the agency.

Regional police Superintendent Jamie Chalker said he was horrified by the reported incident.

'It is unimaginable that a mother could be so callous in her disregard for the safety of her child,' he said in a statement.

'As if it weren't bad enough to be so drunk behind the wheel that you almost run into a police car, it defies belief that she had no concept that her actions could have killed her child.

'I find it increasingly frustrating that people show so little responsibility for their actions, but this is without a doubt one of the most stupid and reckless actions I've come across.' The woman was granted bail and will appear in court later this month to face several charges. -- AFP