Pumping While Out of Town

Here is the link to the TSA web site with the most recent information regarding traveling with breastmilk:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/formula.shtm

I don't think it would hurt to call the airports and/or airlines prior to your trip just to confirm that you can bring your pumped milk on the plane, but it looks like the regulations have changed with respect to breastmilk.

Also, here is some information about how long breastmilk "keeps" in various situations:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkstorage.html

Here is another list of tips that popped up when I did a Google search for traveling while breastfeeding:
http://glenniacampbell.typepad.com/silenti/2007/05/unacco...

I'll be doing the same thing in October, except my baby will be 11 months by then, so I've been thinking about how to do this as well. Good luck!

Unfortunately you cant - breastmilk can only be kept for 24 hours refrigerated - longer if frozen.

Pump as much as you can for baby to have whilst you are away ... then pump whilst you are away - to keep up your supply ... then feed baby when back ...

Enjoy :)

from A. www.a-little-wish.co.uk

I can relate. The TSA regulations now allow you to bring breast milk on the plane with you (without a child), but probably not in nearly the quantities you will have. I've bought some of those thermoses that keep liquid cold for 24 hours. (You can get them at Target or wherever.) I pump, store it in the Gerber milk bags, refrigerate it at my hotel. When I'm ready to go, the milk is already cold. I can simply load the milk bags into the thermos which I put in my checked luggage. When I get home we can use the milk or freeze it because it's not yet been frozen. It worked before and that's my plan for my next trip. Good luck!

I did just about the same thing a few years ago...I pumped on my son's regular eating schedule (- the middle of the night one!) and brought back as much as I could in the cooler part of my pump. I froze it in the Gerber storage bags. That was before the 3 ounce rule was in effect. I would call the FAA to find out for sure what they will allow. It would be pretty frustrating to have to dump the milk after all that trouble to save it up.
I carried my pump on board with me - if it got lost, I'd be in big trouble!
Pumping while I was on the trip was no problem - If I did it again, I would NOT wear the dress I wore for the wedding. It was not pumping-friendly!!

You may need to mail it home using those dry freeze packs. Not sure if it's worth the hassle or expense though. I'd pump and dump. I did that, especially because I would tend to have a few drinks at a wedding, and would have to dump it anyway. Just have fun and don't feel bad about it.

Here is what I did when I was in your situation. It was before the TSA let up their regulations, but it might still be helpful for you:

- Called ahead to the hotel and asked for a small fridge (like a dorm sized fridge) for my room. If you explain what you need it for they shouldn't give you a hard time.
- Brought the following items onto the plane: a cooler bag, some empty ziplock bags and a hand pump.
- Pumped on the plane and asked the stewardess to fill up the ziplock bags with ice. Put the pumped milk into the cooler with the ice.
- Packed my Pump n Style, a ton of milk bags and ziplocs and many packs of of blue ice in my checked luggage.
- Once I got to the hotel, I just kept pumping as usual and stored the milk in the refigerator I requested. Oh, and don't forget to put the blue ice into the freezer compartment.
- I asked for a late check-out on the day I left and waited for the last possible minute to pack my milk. I double-bagged the milk into ziplocs, put it and the blue ice into the big cooler and packed it all into my checked luggage.
- When I was checking my bag I was sure to tell the agent about the milk.

When I got home the milk was still cold.

(Note: Oh, and if you don't want to tote your pump you can also locate local hospitals ahead of time that rent out pumps - it's always good to have this as a backup option if something happens with your pump.)

Good luck! There was a site I went to a lot when I was breastfeeding that might have some good info - workandpump.com, I think.

Hi Joni,

I would call the airline AND the airports you are flying out of, and ask them how they handle passengers who are transporting breast milk. They will have the best info for you. Document who you talk to: name, dept, phone #, etc.

It's also not the worst idea to contact your healthcare provider and have them write a note stating you are a lactating mother, and give their contact info. It can't hurt.

Arrive at the airport PLENTY early so if the screeners need to talk to you, you won't be delayed.

If you are able to freeze your breast milk, and then transport it frozen, that will probably keep it the best. (Use it right away when you get home.) If you won't have a freezer in your hotel room, is there another mom or friend or acquaintance who would let you store your milk at her house?

As far as when you're out-and-about with the milk, I just used regular old soft-sided coolers (the kind kids take to lunch) with several ice packs.

Good luck! Pumping while you're away is a time commitment, and hats off to you.

Obviously a refrigerator would be best. I'm assuming you hotel doesn't have one. Go to a store and buy on of those disposable coolers and fill it with ice.

Getting it on the plane may be difficult. They won't let you carry it on because you won't be traveling with a baby who will need it on the plane. You will have to check it. You could see if there is a hardware store that sells dry ice and pack it in you suitcase. If you have a carry on suitcase for your clothes, maybe you could check the cooler with dry ice and milk. Most airlines now have a fee for all checked luggage. You may find it cheaper to mail it home.

Some people have suggested freezing the milk and putting in your luggage. If it thaws before you get home, you can't refreeze it and it should be used within 24 hours (for food safety reasons).

I can tell you from recent experience that they will NOT allow you to bring the milk back in your carry on luggage no matter what. If the baby was traveling with you, that would be different, but there are no exceptions if you are traveling alone. A note from your doctor won't help. (Yes, I did try it.) The only way you will be able to bring it back is by ice packing it and putting it in your checked luggage like the others said.

I'd ask the hotel for a fridge and if they don't have one I'd go to a hotel that has one. I'd call ahead of time.

I'd also call the airline and ask them what they will accept coming back. You might want to bring a small cooler and pack it with ice on your way home. With that you might also want to consider another cooler for when you're out and about. My breastpump came with a small ice pack and cooler and maybe just something like the Medela black cooler will work for you the whole trip there and back.

The airline will allow baby milk but I'm not sure how much they'll allow.

Hi Joni,

I had a business trip out of town and had to do a 3 day trip away from my daughter. So I called the hotel prior and had them put a refridgerator in my room. This made it easier for storage and I froze whaterver I could in the little freezer. Then I placed it in an insulated cooler and packed in my checked luggage. It worked perfectly!
Good luck!

It's a little inconvenient, but it's totally do-able. Call the front desk of your hotel ahead of time to ask if your milk can be stored in the hotel freezer, or if they can put a small refrigerator/freezer in your room. When it's time to leave, pack all of the frozen milk tightly together in a gallon-size plastic bag (or two if you pumped a lot of milk) and wrap those bags in newspaper to further insulate the milk. Then put the bags in your checked luggage so you won't have to worry about bringing extra fluids through passenger screening, and you should be set! I did this back in January and it worked great.